The Shadows of Time
by Ryukotsusei
Summary: Best crossover IYFG 3rd Qtr.IY/Trinity Blood The past is fated to repeat itself, never ending, rarely changing and always leading to heartbreak. However when the chance comes to right the wrongs of the past, embrace the opportunity, and never look back.
1. Chapter One

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, major character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entirety of both series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Summary: The past is fated to repeat itself, never ending, rarely changing and always leading to heartbreak. However when the chance comes to right the wrongs of the past, embrace the opportunity, and never look back. Abel Nightroad/Kagome/Tres Iqus.

Long Author's Note:

Before I begin with this story, I'd like to announce that it is complete already. I began this back in October/November and there are now twenty three chapters in total, as well as an epilogue. I intend to put a new chapter up every two weeks, provided that each chapter is back from the betas on schedule. Now that this is finished, my next project to tackle is finishing Journey Into Submission. Hopefully with luck, it won't take me near as long to complete that one.

Assume that there's spoilers for the entire Trinity Blood series and well as Inuyasha. This fic deals heavily with the humanization of Tres and as such, he will progressively go out of character as the situations further develop his personality. If this is a particular pet peeve of anyone, I'd advise finding something else to read because it's an integral part of the story.

There are a couple of people who deserve special thanks, because without them, this story would never have gotten finished. First and foremost, I would like to thank Madmiko. Without her help and encouragement, this story would have never gotten beyond the first chapter. She's been instrumental in helping to look over for errors as well as allowing me to bounce ideas off of her as I wrote the story, including when I had to toss out the entire second half of the outline and write blindly. Special thanks also goes to Takhisiss as well for taking the time to read this as I was writing, and pointing out any errors that I happened to miss.

Both of these wonderful ladies have my heartfelt gratitude, I only hope that this story exceeds their expectations, and yours.

_**Chapter One**_

An eerie quiet had enveloped the campsite ever since night had fallen and no one wanted to be the one to break it. But it couldn't be mistaken for a peaceful silence that was meant to comfort the six surrounding the fire, instead the tension seemed to grow until it was nearly unbearable. Something had to give, but what it would be, no one could say for certain. Taking a shaky breath, Kagome stared over the firelight and into Inuyasha's face and studied him carefully. Although he hadn't said anything as of yet, it was obvious to her that he was troubled, and she suddenly felt the need to reach out to him. Whether it was to reassure herself that everything would be okay or just to bridge the gap stretching out between them remained to be seen.

"Inuyasha," she called out to him softly, her expression turning to one of concern when he showed no sign of having heard her at all. Not even the soft, white puppy ears sitting on top of his head twitched in response.

Finally though, he did look at her, his piercing amber eyes searching hers, showing just how ill at ease he was feeling. "Somethings here, I'm just not sure what," he said calmly, even though he had long ago grown irritated with the situation.

Somehow Inuyasha wasn't surprised when none of the others immediately bombarded him with questions as to what he was feeling. They had felt it as well, even if they hadn't put the feelings into words. Something had been watching them all day, and had managed to elude them despite his best efforts to find out just who or what it was.

"It's Naraku, isn't it?" Kagome asked in a near whisper, while casting surreptitious glances into the darkness surrounding the camp. Even though the half demon hadn't come right out and made himself known, there were very few beings that would bother trailing them with such stealth, yet at the same time blatantly advertise the fact that they were lurking in the shadows.

For a moment, Inuyasha said nothing, instead choosing to train his senses onto their surrounding area. The slightest of noises reached his sensitive ears, causing them to twitch in response. Even the way Kagome shifted uneasily against the ground seemed louder than normal, and he almost snapped at her to stop fidgeting long enough for him to pinpoint the source of their unease. But in the end, he knew it wouldn't do any good. She was as nervous as the rest of them were, and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Probably," he replied at last, frustrated by the fact that their enemy was so close yet could remain hidden so easily. There was no point in sugarcoating the truth of the matter, not when it seemed likely that an attack was close at hand.

The reaction that followed was nearly instantaneous, although Kagome had to wonder if it was a conscious act on all their parts. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the slightest movements of the others edging closer to their weapons, readying themselves for the fight they knew was coming. A chill swept through her own body when her fingers closed around the strap of her quiver. The jewel shards around her neck pulsed faintly in response to the nearing presence, causing her brow to furrow, "Inuyasha, get ready! It's coming closer."

"Where is he?" Sango asked while getting to her feet. In one hand she gripped the hiraikotsu, ready to hurl the large boomerang at the first sign of danger. The firelight was doing little to illuminate the surrounding area, but there was nothing they could do to correct the situation, there just wasn't enough time. _'The bastard would think of something like that to use to his advantage.'_

"You think the bastard is going to tell us where he plans to attack from?" Inuyasha asked, snorting in disbelief while his hand went to the hilt of his sword and jerked the blade free of its scabbard. Within moments, it had transformed and the wind began swirling almost delicately along its surface.

The sarcastic comment had the exterminator scowling, but the scathing retort she had readied died on her tongue. The ground shifted abruptly beneath her feet and then gave way, changing in consistency. Seconds later, Sango found herself waist deep in quicksand and sinking deeper by the moment. Only Inuyasha seemed to have leaped free from the mire, avoiding becoming trapped like the rest of them. "Kirara," she called out, and reached towards the fire cat only a few inches away.

With great effort, the fire cat stretched out towards her mistress and was rewarded with a sharp tug on the fur which dragged her even closer. The movement was enough though, and moments later, she found herself in Sango's arms. The embrace, if it could be called that, only lasted for a moment though, before she was thrown high into the air. The upward motion was enough to give her the clearance that she needed, and in a burst of flames she changed to her larger form. Before she could do anything more, however, Naraku began his attack, lashing out at her with a hardened tentacle. The blow glanced off of her shoulder, but it was enough to stain her fur with blood. Snarling loudly, she avoided the next attack while concentrating on freeing the others who were still trapped on the ground.

"Grab onto me, Shippo," Kagome said, stretching out her arms in an attempt to reach the kitsune. Now she was thanking the instructor who had briefly mentioned how to keep yourself from sinking when trapped in quicksand by distributing your weight evenly along the surface. There was the stinging sensation of claws scraping along her exposed flesh when Shippo grasped her arm and then clambered onto her body which had Kagome wincing, but she bore it without complaint. Now all they needed to do was pray for a miracle and hope that somehow either Kirara or Inuyasha would manage to get them to safety before Naraku killed them all.

"Kirara!" Inuyasha called to the fire cat, hoping to gain her attention. From his vantage point in the tree, he could see that Sango and Miroku were managing to inch their way towards solid ground, but Kagome was having a harder time of it. She was going to need some help otherwise she was nothing more than a sitting duck. "Get Kagome and Shippo! I'll keep Naraku busy."

Hearing the order, Kirara began moving swiftly towards the pair, trusting in the hanyou to do as he'd said he would. A volley of tentacles rushed her, but she evaded them quickly, her feet just barely skimming the surface of the quicksand. Timing was going to be crucial and one wrong move would leave her trapped in the muck a second time. When another thick appendage blocked her path, she leaped over it and used the momentum as a springboard to propel herself towards the miko.

"Get ready, Shippo," Kagome gritted out, giving the kitsune all the warning she could before the feline was upon them. Although she'd been caught in a similar fashion before, it didn't stop the miko from grunting at the sharp jerk that tugged at her body when Kirara snatched her up by the clothing. Had they not been in the middle of a battle, Kagome might have seriously contemplated kissing the ground once her feet were firmly on it, but now all she could do was watch the events unfold. There had been no time to grab her bow, and the quiver full of arrows would do little good without it. Looking over towards Sango and Miroku, she could see that her weapon wasn't the only casualty of the attack. The Taijiya's immense boomerang was missing, although she wasn't exactly surprised. Had Sango not abandoned the weapon, she would have been pulled beneath the surface and perished.

But that didn't mean that she was without a weapon. Not by a long shot. Growling ferally, Sango unsheathed her blade and leaped towards the demon responsible. She wasn't so foolish as to believe that Naraku had the true advantage over them, but to hesitate would mean certain death. It was an all or nothing battle, and she wasn't about to let him succeed in his plans for world domination. The bastard had already killed her brother, and her taste for revenge would only be sated with Naraku's death.

"It's about time you stopped hiding and faced us, you coward," she sneered when the man turned towards her with a malicious smile.

"My dear, Sango, who said I was hiding?" Naraku's grin only widened when she charged towards him. "Brash and impetuous as always. Perhaps you should learn some patience and choose your battles a little more wisely." The first tentacle he directed towards her was sliced through cleanly, but the second followed too quickly for her to avoid. The appendage hit her square in the chest, and sent her flying backwards, although with how she managed to twist at the last moment it turned into little more than a glancing blow.

Before the exterminator could hit the ground however, Miroku caught her, winding himself in the process. Worry lines etched his face while he watched Inuyasha hacking at Naraku with the Tetsusaiga to little effect. The sword was greatly limited in what it could do in such enclosed situations. With the little maneuvering room that they had, unleashing any of the large attacks could be disastrous and they all knew it. With a muttered prayer, he reached inside his robes and pulled forth a sutra, hoping that it would be enough for Inuyasha to do some damage to the enemy before the spell was broken.

Ever watchful of impending attacks, Naraku moved confidently and with determination, each movement carefully planned to give him even more of an advantage. The group before him had been a thorn in his side for far too long, and it was time to take his rightful place as ruler of Japan. The rest of the world would fall soon after, but he was going to take the time to savor his victory, once he disposed of those who would attempt to stand in his way.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha?" You don't seem to be too eager to engage me now. Are you afraid you might hurt one of your friends? You shouldn't let your concern for these foolish mortals dictate your actions. Strike now, take your revenge," Naraku said, taunting the hanyou, who was struggling to reach him through the mass of tentacles holding him back. Inuyasha would be a formidable opponent indeed, under most circumstances, which was why he had orchestrated the evening's events to occur as they had. If the half demon could be provoked into using the Tetsusaiga, then he might just take out his own allies in the process.

"Are you that eager to die?" Inuyasha sneered, before bring his sword down to hack through another tentacle. The action was getting to be rather irritating in its repetitiveness, but what more could he do? The sheer amount of ground that had been rendered unusable had put them at a distinct disadvantage, and it didn't help that the bastard had the ability to levitate. _'If only we had a way to immobilize him!'_

Suddenly, his opponent moved to the left, which allowed him to get a glimpse of Miroku moving towards the fight with a sutra in his hand. That was all he needed in order to formulate his next attack and prepare to spring. Narrowing his eyes, Inuyasha locked gazes with his teammate and hoped to hell that the man could figure out just what he intended to do. _'Alright, monk, you'd better make this attack a good one and then get the hell out of the way.'_

However, Naraku wasn't the fool that Inuyasha was hoping him to be, and he was well aware of the man sneaking up behind him. Gut instinct told him when to move, and it was more than enough to help him evade the slip of paper that sailed past him. A cruel smile crossed his face, knowing what was about to come next the moment that the monk had thrown the sutra, Inuyasha had leaped towards him, thinking to strike the moment he was immobilized.

"Foolish half breed," Naraku sneered at the silver haired male and watched the ward plaster itself to the hanyou's chest, "did you really think I would die that easily?"

Pain ripped through Inuyasha's chest, but he found that he couldn't even open his mouth to scream. The Tetsusaiga fell from his unfeeling fingers and landed in the mire beneath them only moments before he plunged towards the ground after it. From a distance, he could hear Kagome screaming his name, but it was abruptly cut off when the quagmire closed in over his head.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, tossing her quiver to the ground and then rushing towards the spot where her friend had gone down. The bog pulled at her limbs, trying to suck her beneath the surface, but she couldn't give up. Inch by inch she crept towards him, trying to swim through the muck. It was obvious that the sutra had rendered him completely immobile, and it would only be a matter of moments before he drowned. Suddenly, a low growl sounded in her ear and sent chills down her spine. Kagome couldn't help but wonder if her life was about to end, but when she chanced a look over her shoulder, she was relieved to see that Kirara had come to her aid a second time. "Please, Kirara," she panted, "help Inuyasha! I'll be fine."

There was no need for the impassioned plea. Kirara was already passing over the struggling miko, in favor of trying to free the hanyou from the pit. While Kagome would be needed at the end of the battle, they had to live that long first, and for that to happen Inuyasha's survival was crucial. Taking care not to become entrapped herself, Kirara plunged her muzzle beneath the rippling surface and grabbed a mouthful of silver hair. It was an awkward hold at best, but it was better than nothing, and she began dragging him free of the muck. Although by the sounds coming from over the pool, it could easily be too late for them all. Sango and Miroku were trying desperately to keep Naraku occupied, but they were quickly losing ground. Even though the Taijiya had managed to inflict a wound, it was superficial and had done little more than fill the air with miasma.

At the edge of the pool, Shippo watched the conflict uneasily, but he wasn't sure just how much help he could be. Neither he nor Kirara would be able to remove the ward from Inuyasha, and there was no way that he was strong enough to take Miroku's place in the fight long enough for the monk to free him. A feeling of helplessness began to overwhelm him before he shoved it away with a growl. '_There's got to be something that I can do!_' His gaze settled on Kagome, who didn't seem to be trying to escape the pit any longer. Instead she seemed to be groping at something beneath the surface, but the longer she remained in the bog, the more likely she'd be trapped forever. Moving quickly, the kitsune grabbed a branch that would easily reach to the center of the pool. "Hold on, Kagome," he called out to her while dragging the heavy branch to the edge.

Kagome barely paid any attention to the tree limb that was creeping closer to her. Instead, her concentration was completely focused on finding the Tetsusaiga before Inuyasha lost control of his demon blood. In her mind, there was no telling just how he was going to react once the sutra was removed, and if he turned, it could spell disaster for them all. Finally, her fingertips brushed against something smooth and she nearly breathed a sigh of relief when her hand closed around the hilt of the sword. Only once she was sure she had a good grip on it did she reach out with her other hand and grab a hold of the branch that Shippo had extended to her. But there was no way the kitsune would be able to pull her free, and she knew that if she was to escape the quicksand a second time, it would be of her own accord. With painstaking slowness she began to pull herself to firmer ground, making sure to keep a firm hold on the sword she'd risked so much to find.

Seeing the miko rushing towards the inu hanyou with the sword in hand had Naraku snarling in irritation. There was no way in hell he was about to allow her to free the half demon without lifting a finger in an attempt to stop her. Not when victory was within his grasp. An explosion of power radiated off of his body, tossing the slayer and the monk clear of the immediate area, leaving a path clear for a shot at the miko. "Time for you to die," Naraku whispered, while forming a staff in his hand that would easily rip through her body and end her pathetic life.

The weapon had just left his hand when out of nowhere a seventh combatant appeared, knocking it off of its intended path. "I don't think so," Kouga growled, coming to rest only a few feet from Naraku. The stench of the bastard's miasma had drawn him to the battle, and he'd arrived on the scene, stunned to see that Inuyasha was incapacitated. Even worse was that they'd all left Kagome open to an attack that would have killed her instantly. Now he stood between the miko and the man who was ultimately responsible for the death of his pack, and he wasn't about to step aside. Without taking his eyes off of his opponent, he spoke to the woman behind him, "Kagome, do what you have to in order to get dog shit there up and fighting again. I'll take care of Naraku."

Kagome nodded towards the wolf demon and scrambled to her feet. There were no calls telling the man to be careful. She knew better than to waste her breath. Instead she hurried to Inuyasha's side and pressed the battered sword into his hand before ripping the sutra off of his chest. There was the slightest spark of energy that erupted from the slip of paper before it died away completely, and the hanyou began gasping for air. "Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked worriedly when he rolled over and began heaving silt onto the ground.

At that point in time, Inuyasha really wanted to ask if he looked like he was alright, but that was likely to send the girl into fits of fussing over him. Meanwhile, Kouga was fighting with Naraku in his stead, and he was positive he'd be hearing about it from the wolf demon later about how he'd had to be saved. Not to mention the fact that Kagome had nearly become a corpse due to his mistake. It wasn't something that was going to happen again. Roughly he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the way Kagome attempted to steady him. "I'm fine. Stand back, Kagome, I can't let that mangy wolf take all the credit of this fight."

"Like it's my fault that you were napping," Kouga yelled across the clearing towards his rival. "Tell me how the hell you manage to get taken out by a piece of paper! Did you forget you were in the middle of a fight or something?" Hell even Ginta and Hakkaku wouldn't do something so stupid and he'd come to expect anything from those two.

"Go to hell! It's not my fault that Miroku missed," Inuyasha retorted angrily. Hell was more likely to freeze over before he'd forget what the fuck was going on. It was a lucky break that had given Naraku the advantage, but he wasn't about to give him a second shot.

"The indignant look that Miroku gave the hanyou showed just what he thought about _that_ little observation. "Perhaps, Inuyasha, you'd be so kind as to show us just how you intend to end this fight then," he stated calmly, before taking up a defensive position near Sango. While the hanyou had been feeling the effects of the sutra, the two of them had taken quite a beating and now they were grateful for the breather that their demon friends were so graciously providing.

"I'm beginning to wonder if it's your intention to bore me to death with your pointless banter," Naraku drawled almost lazily, clearly not impressed with the display of power the two rival males were exhibiting. It was almost as if they'd forgotten what they were supposed to be doing, in favor of impressing the foolish woman staring after the two of them like she was nothing more than a simple minded villager. Narrowing his eyes at the two of them, he prepared for one final attack that would end this farce of a battle. "Allowing you all to live this long was clearly a mistake. One that I'll go ahead and rectify now."

It wasn't the words themselves that prompted Kagome into moving, but the motion of his hand. The moment Naraku went to grasp the jewel, she knew that she needed to do something. Regardless of how powerful Inuyasha and Kouga were, he had almost the entire Shikon at his disposal and they wouldn't stand a chance. Time seemed to stand still, and the only thing she heard was the sound of her own heavy breathing as she snatched up an arrow and ran towards the enemy.

Inuyasha had been waiting for the opportunity to unleash the power of the Tetsusaiga and the chance was close at hand. Just behind Naraku, he could see both Sango and Miroku moving quickly to the sides, leaving the path clear for the wind scar. Yet as he raised his sword and prepared to cut through the fissure, movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to the miko's actions. "Kagome, no!" he shouted, just as she threw herself towards Naraku and landed on his back, clutching at his armor in a desperate attempt not to slip into the mire. Frantically, she attempted to plunge the arrow through he heavy plating and into his flesh, but the wooden shaft shattered under the force of the first blow.

Naraku snarled and reached over his shoulder, grabbing the girl by the hair. It was too easy to destroy the grip she had on his body, and he had no fear of anything she could do to him. Without her bow, the wench was nearly powerless, and now the others wouldn't dare attack, with the miko as his hostage. "You're an even bigger fool than I thought," he sneered down at her. The way she thrashed made him laugh maliciously, amused with her pathetic attempts to take the jewel from around his neck.

"I might be a fool, but you're still going to die, Naraku," Kagome said, ignoring the pain from the hold that he had on her. It was only her determination that kept her fighting, lashing out with her feet in an attempt to stun him just enough to bring her within reach of the jewel. _'Only a couple more... inches and then I can purify it.'_

Seeing as neither Inuyasha nor Kouga could figure out what to do with this new development, Miroku took the initiative. While he understood that taking action might well get Kagome killed, doing nothing was guaranteeing her death. Naraku wouldn't allow her to remain alive for long, not when she was the only one that had a hope of purifying the jewel and ultimately destroying him. Knowing it was a now or never situation, he muttered a quick prayer and hurled his staff through the air. Holy energy enveloped the weapon, lending it the power to pierce through Naraku's armor and into his flesh. The force was enough to make the demon stumble forward and bring the jewel within the miko's reach. "Now, Kagome," he shouted, hoping that the brief distraction would be enough for the girl to act.

And it was. Kagome's hand closed around the Shikon and she released a burst of energy that enveloped her hand in a soft glow. But it didn't end there, for the force of the blow continued to propel Naraku forward, his chest slamming into her fist and allowing it to sink into his flesh. The scream that was torn from his lips caused her to wince, but she continued to press the attack by sending more purification energy into the jewel. Abruptly, she was thrown away from his body and hurtling through the air, only to collide with a firm chest. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to see that it was Inuyasha who had saved her from a nasty impact with the ground. In truth, the sight of Naraku's torment held her mesmerized, it was all that she could do to stare at the scene unfolding before her.

"Get back!" Miroku shouted to the others, realizing what had happened. Those with demon energy needed to move quickly, lest they be taken by the purification energy that Kagome had unleashed upon the enemy. Even now, Naraku's body writhed against the power, attempting to fight it off in a desperate bid to survive, but it was too strong. Somehow, she'd amplified her own abilities through the jewel and immersing it into the hanyou's body had concentrated it in his core.

Quickly Kouga leaped out of the way, followed by Inuyasha. The others would have to rely on their own abilities to get to safety, there was no time to snatch the kit up or usher the fire cat to relative safety. "What the hell did you do?" Kouga called over to Kagome, staring at Naraku in disbelief. Sure, he'd seen the miko purify demons before, but she'd never done anything like this. Pink energy was bleeding through the hanyou's body, slowly tearing him apart, and without the jewel, there was no way for him to prevent it from consuming him.

"How should I know?" Kagome replied, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene. Really, she couldn't explain what she'd done, since it had all been done instinctively. It had felt like a dam had burst within her and she'd gone with it, somehow knowing that to fight it would be contrary to what she was hoping to accomplish. Whatever it was, though, it was working beautifully. A final pulse of energy wracked Naraku's body, and then it shattered, bits and pieces scattering to the ground before turning to dust. Even the quicksand that he'd used to trap them was hardening again, turning once more into solid ground.

After several long moments of silence, Shippo peered out from behind the tree that he'd taken temporary shelter in. "Is it over?" His small voice was hopeful, but he'd seen Naraku escape far too many times to really give in to the desire to believe just yet. Nor was he the only one waiting for the demon to mysteriously emerge from the shadows. Inuyasha had set Kagome on the ground and was now standing in front of her with the Tetsusaiga ready to resume battle.

"Everyone stay alert," Inuyasha ordered harshly, while keeping his gaze trained on the spot where Naraku had vanished. Somehow it seemed entirely too easy, despite the fact that he'd nearly drowned in the process. Even more suspicious was the fact that no one was seriously injured. How many times had they encountered a detachment and at least one member come away with wounds so serious they were unable to fight for weeks?

Breathing deeply, Kouga took the opportunity to scent the air and realized that Naraku's scent was rapidly dissipating. Of course, Inuyasha's nose was far stronger than his own,even if the mutt was a half breed. The fact that he hadn't moved from his spot proved just how distrusting he was of the situation they'd found themselves in. "You smelling something?" Kouga asked after a moment of silence.

"I dunno. It was just too damned easy. If this was all there was to it, we should have been rid of him a long time ago," Inuyasha finally replied and then looked over towards Miroku. "What do you think? Is he dead?"

Miroku pursed his lips and gazed at Kagome for several seconds, trying to gage just what they'd witnessed. Clutched in her hand was Naraku's collection of the Shikon jewel, and it was highly unlikely that the man would retreat without making a serious attempt to retrieve it. Then again, he could be too injured to do so, since that had been the largest demonstration of power he'd ever seen out of the woman. "Perhaps," he replied to the unanswered question and cautiously began removing the beads from around his right hand.

Everyone watched in tense silence when the glove was finally removed, trusting in Miroku to be able to seal the wind tunnel off if it was still present. It had been said that it would only vanish with its creator's death, but Naraku had proven that he could remove it at whim if he thought it to be in his best interest. When no sign of the devastating weapon presented itself however, the monk couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. With a death sentence hanging over his head his entire life, the feeling of freedom that overwhelmed him was nearly enough to drive him to his knees. "It's gone," he whispered, staring into the palm which had tormented him for so many years.

"It's finally over then?" Sango asked, coming up behind him to touch his shoulder lightly. For the past three years, Naraku had dominated all of their lives and it was difficult to imagine what the future held for them now. Promises had been made during their journey, and she couldn't begin to guess whether or not they would be honored. First and foremost in her mind was whether or not Miroku had truly meant to take her for his wife once the war was over. But lurking in the back of her mind was Kagome, and her promise to remain by Inuyasha's side. Would she keep that promise or would she return to her own time? Uncertainly, she turned her attention to the miko in question and sighed when she saw the lost look in the girl's eyes. It was all too apparent that the realization had come to her as well, and somehow, Sango knew what her choice would be.

Shippo, however, was the one to voice the Slayer's innermost thoughts, "So what do we do now?" Patiently, he waited for an answer out of any of them. Although this wasn't a new question by any means, he wasn't sure who would be the one to answer first. Many times in the past he'd asked the same thing, but he'd always been put off. No one wanted to contemplate what would happen afterwards, not when there was a good chance that someone would die.

"Simple," Inuyasha replied, and sheathed the Tetsusaiga, "we head back to the village." Although he didn't want to bring it up, he and Kagome had discussed what would happen after Naraku was defeated, and they'd seen no need to trouble the others. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Kagome belonged in her own time, and subconsciously, even she had known it. Why else would she have fought so hard to return home and ensure her future with her family. School meant nothing to him and the people who lived in this era, but to the miko, she was looking at a life of poverty without it. All he could do was support Kagome's decision and try not to make things any more difficult on her than they already were.

Without saying a word, Kagome began to follow Inuyasha back in the direction they'd come from, picking up her backpack as she walked past it. Although the night was far from over, none of them wanted to sleep in the area they'd just fought in. Just how far they'd travel before bedding down again was hard to say. But the last thing she expected to find as she slowly headed away from the scene was Kouga falling in step beside her. Cautiously she looked him over, wondering if perhaps he was injured or needed to talk, "Did you need something, Kouga?"

"Just because Naraku is dead, doesn't mean I'm just going to run off. You've still got to put the jewel together right?" Kouga asked the miko quietly. For now, he didn't take his eyes off of Inuyasha and the tense set of the hanyou's shoulders. Sighing heavily, he continued on, addressing his long time rival, "You'd better not be thinking I'm just after the jewel, you know. I want to make sure you all get back in one piece so Kagome can do what she needs to do."

"I've got a newsflash for you, we don't need your help! I can take care of Kagome and the jewel just fine," Inuyasha snapped at the other male, irritated that he was attempting to tag along. It was bad enough that Kouga had to step in and protect Kagome while he had been incapacitated, but for him to be playing bodyguard now was grating on his badly stretched nerves.

Kouga's snort in response was almost immediate, "Yeah, you did a bang up job back there didn't you? Just the same, I'll make sure she gets back safe and sound while you do... whatever it is that you normally do."

"I don't have to take this shit from you, and I damned sure didn't say you could tag along!" Inuyasha shouted over his shoulder, gritting his teeth in annoyance. '_Just once... All I want is just one time of Kagome telling that fleabag to piss off. Is that too much to ask?_'' Yet since she wouldn't do that, it left him only two options: tolerate Kouga's presence, or forcibly evict him from the group. Seeing that the wolf prince had no intentions of leaving on his own, there was only one course of action open to him, and reluctantly he accepted it.

Seeing Inuyasha gripping the hilt of his sword had Kagome's patience snapping, "That's enough! If you two want to have a pissing contest, do it on your own time. Is it too much to ask for my last night together with you guys to be free of your pointless posturing and trash talking? You both are worse than two year olds bickering over a toy!" Angrily, she stared up at the two of them, one wearing an expression of surprise and the other of anger.

"Don't you dare bitch at me! He started it," Inuyasha snapped at her, the last of his patience at an end. Once again, he was not surprised that she was pissed off at the way they interacted, but doing nothing to resolve the cause behind it. Angrily he crossed his arms and glared at her, "You want peace and quiet? Tell him to get lost."

"Why the hell should I be the one to go? In case you've forgotten, I'm the one who made it possible for the cat to even save your ass. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me," Kouga replied, his tone laced with arrogance. Whether the hanyou liked it or not, the fact still remained that he would have perished in the fight if it hadn't been for him, and Kouga wasn't about to let the opportunity pass to remind him of that little fact. "Hell, the way I see it, you can be the one to leave, mutt face."

"How about you both do us the favor of shutting up," Sango shouted, voicing her opinion on the subject. How in the hell Kagome managed to put up with the attentions of those two idiots she still wasn't certain, but they were giving her a headache. It didn't help that she was tired and her chest was sore from the hit she'd taken earlier. Although she hadn't had the chance to examine the injury yet, she wouldn't be surprised if Naraku had cracked part of her ribs with that blow.

When Inuyasha looked as if he were about to carry on with his tirade, Kagome held up a hand to silence him, "She's right, that's enough out of the both of you. I know you may not like Kouga being here, but it's only for a little while. Once I'm gone, you two can go your separate ways and never see each other again for all I care. Until then, just cool it." All she wanted now was to get back to the village and maybe get some sleep, but if they continued with their bickering, she'd borrow Kirara and go on ahead of everyone else. Nothing said she couldn't spend the night in her own bed and return after a good nights sleep. With Naraku dead, she could always deal with the issue of the jewel later, when her head didn't hurt and she wasn't so blasted tired.

That seemed to end the arguing for the moment and Kouga was left watching Kagome walking away from them, contemplating what she had said. While he'd always known that there was something different about her, he'd never really concerned himself about where she'd come from. But now there was talk about her leaving and by the sounds of it, she might not be coming back. Quickly he caught up to her and ignored the nasty look that Inuyasha threw at him, "Kagome, you aren't really leaving us are you?"

Whatever mutterings had been taking place quickly fell silent in anticipation of her answer. Biting her lip, she nodded. "I have to. I've got a life and a family back home that's been put on hold for so long. Now that Naraku is dead, it's time I started taking care of the other responsibilities I've been neglecting," Kagome replied, hoping that the others wouldn't question her decision. The truth was, the small gift shop that her grandfather operated wasn't nearly enough to support the family, and her mother's meager earnings weren't much better. Had she not been here in the feudal era, she would have had a part time job at the very least and been contributing to the support of her family.

"Family huh?" Kouga mused, trying to imagine what they would be like or for that matter, where they were. He wasn't concerned about there being another male waiting on her, had that been the case then she wouldn't have gotten as close to Inuyasha as she had. Not that it would have been something Kouga worried about in the first place, even if there had been. Obviously any man worth his salt would have been on the front line to protect his woman, and since it had been left to him and Inuyasha, they had more of a claim to her than any other male would. But would the miko just leave and never return? Somehow Kouga doubted it. Kagome was too attached to her friends here to abandon them for good. No, she'd come back, he was sure of it. "So how long do you plan be gone?"

"A while probably," Kagome said after a moment's hesitation, "I have to get things settled back home before I can think about coming back." She didn't want to come out and say never, but she couldn't be sure how long it would be either. If Kikyo was to be believed, the jewel would vanish with a wish, and that would most likely end her trips to the past. However if by some chance the well continued to allow her passage then there was no reason to deny the possibility entirely.

"You know," Kouga drawled, a plan quickly forming in his head, "you could always bring your family here." Seeing her look of disbelief he hurried on, "Think about it for a minute, you've been to the caves and seen how much room we have. It's not like at that village Inuyasha drags you to. You'd have as much room for you and your family as you want. I'd be happy to provide for you and them." There was no way he'd expect her to abandon her family and it was a sincere offer to care for them. Pack was everything to a wolf demon and since Kagome was the female he'd set his sights on, her family would automatically fall under his care.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to do that," Kagome hurried to decline the offer, although she took care not to offend him in the process. She could just imagine her family's reaction to the idea of giving up their home for living in a cave, assuming she could even bring them through the well which was by no means certain. Souta's first question would be where he could plug the Playstation in, and grandpa would be complaining about the lack of bathroom facilities. Even after all this time, they really hadn't seemed to grasp the idea that she was out here roughing it.

The sound of muffled laughter came suspiciously from Inuyasha's direction, but Kouga resolutely ignored it. 'T_he idiots probably gloating over the idea that she'd turn me down, but I know better. She just doesn't like to impose upon people.' _But to continue pushing the idea would only make her uncomfortable. All he could do now was let her know the offer was open and that it was genuine, then she could draw her own conclusions and come to him when she was ready. "Just think about it, Kagome," he said quietly, "I know the way you think and why you're saying no. Just think about it, and when you're ready to come back, I'll be waiting for you."

The sappy declaration had Inuyasha rolling his eyes, but he didn't comment because he knew the futility of the wolf's offer. There was no way in hell her family would give up the comforts of their own home in the future to live in some dark, damp cave. As much as he liked them, they were typical for humans of their time, pampered and unsuited to living like he had all his life. To bring them to this era to live would be pointless and undoubtedly make them all unhappy. No, it was for the best if Kagome returned home like she wanted. Having an occasional visit from the miko would have to suffice, there really wasn't any other way around it. "Enough of the sappy shit already, you're making me sick," he said before Kagome could respond to Kouga's heartfelt plea.

Silence descended upon the group shortly after that, and Sango was grateful for the reprieve. Just breathing was a chore now, although she wasn't going to complain about it. Yet she knew that a suitable camping site was a lengthy distance away, and there was a good chance that she'd need to rest before then. As much as she hated to put upon her friend, something needed to be done. "Kirara," she spoke softly to the cat clinging to Miroku's shoulder, "can you fly?" While she didn't want to come right out and say it was getting too hard to walk she had to do something before it became obvious.

Kirara gazed upon her mistress with a critical eye, taking in her appearance. What she saw there had her leaping away from Miroku and taking on her larger form. While she was injured, it wouldn't be a problem carrying one or even two people. Wasting no time, she moved to Sango's side and waited for her to mount before returning to Miroku so that he could do the same. The sooner they returned to the village the happier they'd all be.

"Let's hurry, Inuyasha, if we don't stop we can make it to the village before daybreak," Sango said to the hanyou, trying to make it sound like a request and hoping that for once he wasn't going to be obstinate about taking orders from someone else.

If nothing else, Inuyasha wasn't a fool. He'd seen just how battered the two of them had gotten, even if he'd come away relatively unscathed. Sleep would do them all some good, although it was likely that Kouga would scoff at the idea entirely. Taking a look over at Kagome, he noticed that she was looking tired as well. "Get on. You need to sleep if you're going to deal with that jewel tomorrow," he said, before allowing her to climb on his back. The smallest of triumphant looks crossed his face when he saw Kouga's expression, but he was careful not to allow Kagome to see it. Instead, he made sure he had a firm grip on her and then took off at a run, leaving the wolf to follow or not as he so chose.

_~The next morning~_

It was only the sharp glare of the sunlight hitting her face that brought Kagome out of her slumber, and even then she tried to bury her face in her pillow. Unfortunately, it was a futile attempt, and she was forced to realize that there was no point in delaying the inevitable. What surprised her was realizing that she was back in the village to begin with. The last thing she remembered was closing her eyes and listening to Inuyasha's heartbeat while he ran. "Ugh it's far too early to be up," she muttered, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. The idea of what she had to do once she got up wasn't encouraging her to move any faster either.

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, but you've been asleep most of the day, Kagome," Miroku said with amusement and laughed when she opened one eye to halfheartedly glare at him. None of them had been inclined to wake her before now either, because they now knew what she intended to be doing. In fact, if she were to roll over and go back to sleep, he'd take his leave without informing any of the others that she'd woken up at all.

"Most of the day?" Kagome asked, and then sat up to stare at him tiredly, "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" It wasn't like Inuyasha to allow her to sleep in at all, even when she'd desperately needed the sleep in the past. Usually he wanted everyone up at the break of dawn, and while they hadn't gotten in until late, she'd figured he would have gotten her up around noon at the latest.

Miroku merely quirked a brow at her before sighing, "Considering that we only just heard of your decision last night, no one wanted to hurry your departure. I'm assuming you've thought it over thoroughly and it's what you wish to do?" Even though she'd seemed determined in the way she'd spoken of her plans to Kouga, he couldn't help but ask her now that they were alone. They'd always just assumed that she'd remain wherever Inuyasha was, and to find out that wasn't the case had come as an unhappy surprise.

"I wouldn't have made the announcement last night if I hadn't, Miroku," Kagome replied quietly, and then pushed the blanket off of her body. Somehow she wasn't surprised to be having this conversation with the monk. She'd been expecting it, although she'd thought that Sango would be present for it. Speaking of which, "Where is Sango anyway?"

"Asking Inuyasha if he took one too many blows to the head while we were fighting I imagine. She was rather surprised at how easily he accepted your announcement last night," Miroku replied, watching the girl prepare for the day's events. This was why he'd been chosen to be the one to speak to her. The others were likely to become too emotional. He, alone, could look at the situation rationally and not allow his emotions to sway her decision.

Hearing this Kagome couldn't help but giggle. They'd probably been expecting a war from Inuyasha over the fact that she was leaving, possibly for good. "Oh, Miroku, there's nothing wrong with him. We'd talked about this a while ago and he understands why I need to go home. He might not like it, but he accepts it," she said quietly, knowing that he was only concerned with her welfare and making sure that she wasn't making a rash decision.

"Alright then, as long as you're certain about what you want to do," Miroku conceded after a moment of contemplation. As long as she was going to be happy, that was what mattered and if it wasn't with Inuyasha then he couldn't fault her for that. Over the past couple of years they'd all watched the ups and downs of their relationship, wondering at times if either one of them could see the person in front of the other for who they really were. _'Perhaps that's why nothing more came of it, he cannot see her without the shadow of Kikyo clouding his vision and Kagome could never completely see how difficult things had been for Inuyasha before she came through the well.'_ Reaching out he took the blanket from her hands, "Let me deal with this. I'm sure that you've got other things that you need to be attending to."

"I... thank you, Miroku," she said quietly before exiting the hut. There really wasn't much in the way of packing to do, since it had nearly been time to return home for supplies anyway. All of her clothing was already in the pack, waiting to be washed, and since she hadn't changed from the night before, she didn't have to worry about pajamas and such. _'All that's left now is to make the wish and say goodbye.'_

Hearing the door hanging moved aside, Inuyasha looked towards the hut's entrance and saw Kagome stepping out into the sunlight. "It's time huh?" he asked quietly, searching her eyes to make sure that she was ready to do this.

"It looks that way," Kagome replied, watching Sango, Shippo and Kouga walking towards them. Fortunately, it wouldn't be hard to fuse the jewel pieces together, and she'd already thought long and hard about the wish that was to be made. Long ago, she'd heard about how Kikyo believed a wish would destroy the jewel and end the suffering that it had caused. While Kagome wasn't sure if that was true or not, it was the best they had to go on. But she wasn't going to delude herself into believing that there was such a thing as a _pure_ wish. After all, hadn't they all come to that conclusion months ago? If neither Kaede nor Miroku could come up with one then it would be foolish to hold onto the faint hope that such a thing could be thought of. Besides, if that was what was required then why would Kikyo be willing to make such a selfish wish and turn Inuyasha human just to suit her needs? _'I suppose she might have been thinking of the intent behind the wish when it was made... Kikyo might have believed her wish to be pure, not because it was giving her something that she desired, but because it would be saving the soul of a creature that according to the Gods would be irredeemable. But wouldn't that be for them to decide and not her? I fail to see how the Gods would make it possible for demon or hanyou to be created if their souls would be damned from the beginning. In the end it still came down to Inuyasha not being good enough as he was, which was wrong for Kikyo to decide.'_

No, there was no such thing as a pure wish, and it was foolish to try thinking of one. That would be doomed to failure, for there was a certain amount of selfishness in any request that she could possibly make. So instead, she'd embrace the wish fully, and take whatever consequences that came with it, so long as the Shikon vanished like it was supposed to. Slowly she gave the others the slightest of smiles and took a deep breath, "Is everyone ready for this part?"

"Take as much time as you need, Kagome," Miroku advised, coming to a stop next to her. He'd heard the uncertainty in her voice and he certainly wasn't going to rush her into taking this step.

Nodding slightly, Kagome closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to calm herself before removing the piece of the jewel from her neck with one hand, and the second half from her pocket with the other. The two pieces felt comforting in her hands, as if the spirits within were supporting the action she was about to take. _'It's been in pieces for far too long, even the souls trapped within cry out for reunification.'_

Together, they watched the miko bring her hands together and slide the pieces of the Shikon in place. The brief flash of light momentarily blinded them, but by the time that it had receded, the jewel was whole once again. Inuyasha watched her carefully for any sign of the jewel reacting unfavorably to what she'd done, and finally breathed a sigh of relief once it was finished. Now all that remained was the wish, and while it had once been a right that he had claimed, now he was giving it willingly to Kagome to do with as she wanted.

"I'm not sure how to do this really," Kagome muttered, while staring down at the pink jewel. Unfortunately the Shikon hadn't come with any sort of instruction manual, so she was going to have to take her chances and hope that it worked. Closing her hands around the artifact, she stared at Sango and gave her the slightest of smiles. If nothing else, she could make the woman she looked on as a sister happy. "I wish for Sango to have her brother back, never to be controlled by anyone, ever again."

The words that left Kagome's mouth stunned Sango, and for the longest moment she found herself unable to move. The wave of power that came from the jewel slammed into her body, driving her to her knees and rendering her blind for several moments. However, when the light cleared she found herself kneeling next to her only brother, whom she'd lost only a few months before. "Kohaku!" she cried, and threw herself over the boy's body, delighting in the fact that it was warm. The steady rise and fall of his chest reassured her that he was indeed alive, and it was all thanks to Kagome. With tears filling her eyes, she stared up at her friend, unable to express just how grateful she was for the gift that she'd been given.

Kneeling down next to her friend, Kagome smiled gently. She understood what the woman wanted to say even if she didn't have the words. "It's okay, Sango, I just want you to be happy," she said quietly. A quick glance towards Inuyasha revealed the faintest look of approval, which just reinforced her belief that she'd done the right thing. _'It worked.'_ She thought happily, pleased with the fact that not only had the wish come true, but the fact that she no longer even had the jewel in her hands. "It's really gone," she whispered, unable to believe that this chapter of her life was truly over.

"So I guess this is goodbye then," Kouga stated uncomfortably. While he'd been preparing himself for this eventuality all night, it didn't mean he had to be happy with the idea.

Never having been one for long, drawn out goodbyes, Kagome nodded, "It is, but don't worry, I'll be back one day." Quickly, before she had a chance to change her mind, she approached Inuyasha and hugged him, knowing that this would have to last her for a while. The blush that stained his face made her smile despite the tears that threatened to spill, and shortly after she felt his arms tighten around her.

"Hey now, don't hog her," Shippo complained, and insinuated his body between theirs. While the hanyou might have been closer to her than anyone else, he wasn't going to let the miko disappear without saying goodbye to him as well. "I'll miss you, Kagome," he cried out, hoping that she'd change her mind at the last minute.

"I'll miss you, too, Shippo, but I'll be back before you know it," Kagome whispered softly into his hair. The sound was so soft she was sure only he would hear it, and she desperately hoped that it was the truth. After several long moments, she released the kitsune and approached Kouga, but before she could hug him, she found herself swept up into his arms. To her relief, he didn't try to kiss her, and she returned the embrace almost awkwardly while waiting for Inuyasha to blow up over the display of affection. She was thankful that it never came, but when she was able to look at the hanyou again, she could see how the demonstration had bothered him. Uneasily, she faced Kouga again and smiled, "You take care of yourself alright?"

"Of course, and you remember what I said as well, I'll be waiting for the time when you come back," Kouga said confidently. He took it as a good sign when Inuyasha hadn't objected to the way he'd swept the miko into his arms. It meant there was one less obstacle in his way to claiming the woman he'd set his sights on, now he just had to wait for her to return to him.

"Alright then," Kagome waved the comment off with a smile. '_Hopefully he'll figure it out one of these days that I'm just not interested_.' Finally, she turned to Miroku and was enveloped in a comforting hug, which fortunately had no attempts at groping to deal with. "Miroku, be sure to take care of Sango alright? I don't want to come back to hear continued tales of your cursed hand assaulting the women of random villages," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"You wound me, Kagome, to insinuate that I would do such a thing now that my curse has been lifted," Miroku said, playing the part of the innocent monk to the fullest. The disbelieving snort that the miko gave him had him chuckling in amusement. Out of all of their group, she had always been the most fun to tease.

"Of course, each time your hand has found it's way onto my butt your intentions have always been noble. How could I have ever been so careless as to have forgotten that?" Kagome asked, casting her eyes skyward in a prayer for patience. "Just remember to mind your manners or Sango won't be the only one you have to worry about." Her eyes gleamed with mischievousness and with one final hug, she released him.

It was time for her to go, and Inuyasha knew that there wasn't putting it off any longer, so he picked up the backpack she'd been carrying with her since the beginning of their travels together. "I'll walk you back," he said, knowing that she wouldn't turn down the offer of an escort. It would also keep Kouga from trailing her to the well and then forcing an explanation of how it led to her family.

"Thanks, Inuyasha," Kagome smiled at him once again, grateful for the offer.

Giving the rest of the group one final look, she began walking towards the well with the hanyou at her side. There really wasn't anything more to say that hadn't been stated over the many times they'd talked about this before. In fact, Kagome was positive that before the week was out, that Inuyasha would be coming through the well to visit after she had gotten settled into a normal routine again.

For his part, Inuyasha wasn't sure what to say at all. He knew that she wanted some time to herself to readjust to living life in her own time, and as hard as it would be, he would try to give her just that. Far too quickly for his tastes, he found they were at their destination. Carefully he set the pack on the edge of the well and turned to face Kagome, "You know if you need anything you can come back right? I mean, even if it just to take a break from your school or something like that."

"I know," Kagome said with a smile. It was touching the way he was trying to reach out to her, to show that he cared enough to want her to come back whenever she felt the need. If she knew him at all, she knew that when things started to stress her out, he'd be perched outside her bedroom window and would be ready to drag her through the well. Whether she was wanting to go back at that point might be another story though. "I should be going. Take care of yourself and try not to fight with Kouga too much alright?" she said with a forced grin. Somehow she could just see him heading back to the village and thumping on Kouga just for the hell of it.

"I ain't making no promises if he's still there when I get back," Inuyasha replied with a roll of his eyes. Once Kagome was on the other side of the well, there was nothing to say that he couldn't beat the hell out of that mangy wolf for acting all high and mighty. _'Let him save the day one fucking time and he thinks he's top shit. We'll see how long that lasts when I shove my foot up his ass.' _

"You two are impossible," Kagome muttered and shook her head. There was just no getting around it, those two would never be able to get along more then ten minutes around each other. Carefully she sat on the edge of the well and gripped the straps to her backpack. "I guess this is goodbye. I'll see you later, Inuyasha," she said, and after a moment, slipped into the darkness of the well. Seconds later the familiar glow surrounded her and she found herself falling through time.

Closing her eyes, Kagome savored the feeling of being weightless until her feet found solid ground. Looking upwards, she was greeted by the roof of the well house and began the task of climbing up the rope ladder that her grandfather had so thoughtfully installed for her. The faintest sound of voices could be heard just outside the closed door and she hurried, anxious to see her family again. Sliding the door open, sunlight flooded the tiny building. With a smile on her face, she greeted her mother who was sweeping the courtyard, "Momma, I'm home."

_~Two Days Later~_

The afternoon found Kagome walking back to the shrine, her arms laden with groceries for the evening dinner. The past two days had done wonders for her with catching up on sleep and now she finally felt ready to tackle the world. The one thing that had been taken out of her hands though was the celebratory dinner that was planned for the evening. While she might have been happy with something simple, her grandfather had been determined in his thinking that Naraku's death was a historical event and therefore should be celebrated. _'Thankfully Momma drew the line at inviting everyone in the family and patrons of the shrine. I don't want to think about how he would have explained just what the festival was supposed to mean.' _

Finally she'd been forced to flee the shrine in favor of going to the store just to avoid the schemes the old man was trying to talk them all into. Gathering her high school friends to re-enact the battle was something that she drew the line at. Not only was there not enough time, but they'd swear she was insane in the process of trying to convince them. No, Grandpa would have to settle for dinner and her retelling the tale for what had to be the 20th time since she'd returned home.

"Finally," she whispered as she reached the top of the stairs and began to cross the courtyard. It was empty of course, leaving her to wonder just what sort of activity the inside of the house was being subjected to. _'So help me, if he's hung streamers from the ceiling, I might just have to jump back through the well to save my sanity.'_ Carefully she set one of the bags down on the ground when she reached the doorway, pausing just long enough to open the front door.

"I'm home," she called out before picking up the bag and stepping through the doorway. It was difficult to kick off her shoes without dropping anything, but somehow she managed with a minimum of trouble. "Souta?" Kagome called for her brother, "can you come and help me with these bags?"

When he didn't answer, Kagome frowned in consternation. Most likely he'd fled the scene too and she was beginning to wish that she could do the same. Heaving a sigh she carried the bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter before setting off to find her wayward brother. "Souta," she called again while hoping he was still in the house. If she was going to be forced to endure a day of preparations he would too. But all thoughts of the party died when she stepped into the living room. "No... you're supposed to be dead! We killed you," she gasped, horrified by the sight laid out before her.

"Ah, so you were led to believe," Naraku replied from his spot in a nearby chair, "but as you can see, I'm very much alive." His eyes roamed over her body lazily, almost with disinterest. It should have been fascinating that she didn't look any different from the last time he'd spoken with her, but he knew all about her secret. For him, it had been five hundred years, but for her it had merely been a couple of days.

Uneasily, Kagome stared at the demon lounging in her living room. The temptation to run was immense, nearly overwhelming with the need to get help from the only one who had a hope of defeating Naraku. But when she stared into the terrified eyes of her family, bound and gagged on the living room floor it held her immobile and uncertain as to what she should do. Angrily she stared at the demon, wishing that she had a bow nearby. At least then she might have a chance of fighting him off. As it stood now, she was virtually helpless. Still, she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. "Let them go," she said coldly, hoping beyond hope that her words would be forceful enough to bluff him into believing she was stronger than the last time they had fought.

"I think not. Instead, we're going to play a little game," Naraku said, his lips twisting into a malicious smirk. "I'll make this easy enough for even you to understand though. Give me the jewel and I'll allow your family to live." It went unsaid that the miko wouldn't be surviving the encounter, but that was a given. He had to repay her for his "death" all those years ago. Without the jewel he'd been forced to go into hiding, avoiding detection from the half breed and the rest of the group who thought to dispose of him. Now though, there was no one here to stop him from taking the jewel from the miko and he intended on using that to his advantage.

"I can't do that, and since you've survived all this time you should know that," Kagome responded flatly. That he'd demanded the jewel right off the bat didn't come as a surprise, but that didn't mean she could just conjure it out of thin air. She'd have a better chance of blowing sunshine out her ass then producing the Shikon for him. The question was, what would he do to her family once he realized he wasn't getting his hands on it?

Naraku narrowed his eyes in warning, "Can't do it or won't, my dear miko? Do not think for a moment I won't hesitate to use force to get what I want." Just what game was she playing at? He'd heard rumors that they'd wished upon the jewel and it had been destroyed, but he didn't buy that for an instant. A wish would not destroy the souls housed within the Shikon so it had to be somewhere and this little bitch was his key to retrieving it.

"I can't, the jewel is gone. I destroyed it, so you came here for nothing," Kagome replied icily. While she longed to give into the desire to run and scream for Inuyasha's help, she knew that would only provoke Naraku into taking greater liberties with either her or her family. The bastard got off on fear, pain and suffering, there was no need to give him even more of what he craved.

Quietly Naraku contemplated the girl in front of him. He had to admit she was a crafty one. That innocent look was good enough to fool most people, but not him. He'd seen how easily she'd duped the people in the Feudal era into believing she was just from a neighboring village, leaving them none the wiser to her time traveling abilities. "Unfortunately I don't believe you Kagome so here's what we're going to do. You're either going to give me the jewel or you can watch your family die. Consider it the price of your continued silence and unwillingness to give me what I want."

"I can't give you something I don't have," Kagome shouted, fear beginning to lace her voice. She had no doubts that Naraku would do exactly as he'd said and time was running out. Should she make a break for it and pray that she reached Inuyasha in time? Most likely Naraku would kill her family long before she could return with help, but was remaining any better? There was no way that she could hope to fight him off on her own and live. They'd all die and it would have been for nothing. Gritting her teeth she cast a sorrowful look towards her family, praying they would understand and then turned to run.

Cruel laughter spilled from Naraku's lips then, seeing the choice that she'd made. Within moments a mass of tentacles had wrapped around the girl, preventing her escape while he stood from the chair he'd been seated in. "My, my, I'm surprised at you, Kagome. Leaving your family to die while you run, hoping that their deaths will buy you enough time to escape. I'm impressed, I didn't think you had it in you," Naraku taunted the girl, enjoying the horrified look that spread upon her face as she twisted desperately, trying to escape.

"Screw you," Kagome shouted and sent a pulse of energy through her hand, disintegrating the tentacle that wrapped around her waist, but there were more that followed. They were coming far too fast for her to deal with and within moments they had her completely immobilized and unable to act.

"Tempting, but that's not what I came for," Naraku replied coldly, before turning to look at the three staring up at him from the floor, "Tell me, Kagome, who should be the first to die? The old man who gave much of his life to ensuring you grew up to be the woman you are today? Or perhaps the child who has so much to live for, yet as of now is virtually useless to society. Or maybe even your mother, the nurturing woman who supported your journeys and explorations to the past where you destroyed the goals I had set."

"I'm not choosing your first victim, you bastard! I can't give you what you want, kill me if you have to, but let them go," Kagome shouted angrily, tears of frustration spilling down her cheeks. Perhaps it would have been better if she'd have never come home, at least then Naraku would have continued to wait, biding his time to corner her. Maybe she would have had Inuyasha at her side then and they wouldn't be in this position.

Naraku sighed, as if the miko's answer disappointed him, when he was nothing of the sort. So she wanted to make this even more enjoyable for him, he had no problem with that. "Very well, I'll just have to make the choice for you then," he said at length and walked towards the girl's grandfather. Tucked away in the corner was an old, rusty sword. Most people believed the blade to be lost to time, vanished when the owner was slaughtered, but Naraku knew the truth and soon, Kagome would as well.

The sight of Naraku holding that particular sword had Kagome's blood running cold, "Where did you get that?" The thought that their enemy could ever manage to defeat Inuyasha was inconceivable, but Kagome couldn't imagine another way that Naraku would manage to get the Tetsusaiga away from the hanyou. _'But... he can't be dead, he just can't!'_

"Don't be dense, miko, you know very well where I got it from," Naraku said with amusement and unsheathed the blade, "I know what you're thinking and you would be correct. The only way to obtain this sword was to pry it from Inuyasha's cold, dead fingers. You should have seen the look on his face just before I tore his heart out. He never expected to see me alive and that was his downfall." Slowly, he walked over towards the old man and examined the blade, "You know it's nearly impossible for this thing to cut through flesh in this form, but if one is persistent enough it can be done. This is your last chance before he dies, where is the jewel or would you prefer a demonstration of just how dull this blade is?"

"I," Kagome whispered as her mind raced, trying to figure out some way to stall him. An excuse, any excuse that might buy her some time in order to try and work something out, but nothing came to mind. She knew that her time had run out when Naraku pulled his arm back, readying the sword for the first blow. "Grandpa no!"

The dull blade cut through the air and connected solidly with the old man's neck although it was as Naraku had expected. The old blade just barely broke the skin. The moan of pain however, was quite satisfying, as were the futile struggles the human was giving in his attempt to get away. Over and over Naraku swung, hacking away at the man's neck, and soon blood began to splatter with each subsequent blow. The agonized screams that filled the air only grew in intensity until one particularly hard blow caved in his windpipe, rendering the miko's grandfather unable to breathe, much less speak.

"Stop!" Kagome screamed and twisted, praying to any God which might be listening in hopes that she could free herself long enough to put an end to this madness. The horrified expressions on her mother and brother's faces were just too much, but she couldn't look away. Her bonds wouldn't allow her that luxury.

"Indeed, that is the entire point to this exercise my dear but, very well," Naraku conceded, agreeing to that particular request with an enthusiasm did not suit the occasion. In the end it really didn't matter to him, waiting just prolonged the man's suffering even further and who was he to argue with that? Another cut or two would have severed the old man's jugular and he would have bled out quickly. But now he would slowly suffocate, courtesy of his granddaughter's unwillingness to do what was needed to spare his life, and Naraku delighted in the fact that these final moments would plague them all into the afterlife. With great interest, he watched the way the human's skin turned colors, deepening to an interesting shade of blue before giving a final gasp. And then it was done, the old Priest lived no longer. "One down, miko, shall you decide who's next or should I?"

"No," Kagome whispered miserably, unable to take anymore. "I'll give you the jewel, just don't hurt anyone else." It was a last ditch attempt at stopping the brutality, but even as she spoke the words, she knew there was little hope. But still, she had to try something, anything to buy them some time. There was no way she could produce the jewel, but maybe, just maybe it would give her mother a some kind of chance to work her bonds free and then get Souta to safety. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to attempt to give the performance of a lifetime, one that their lives depended on. "I might not have it with me, but I can take you to where the jewel is."

Naraku regarded her with interest for a moment. "Really now? Are you trying to tell me you willingly allowed your grandfather to suffer and die when you could have prevented it by giving me what I desired?" Truly this girl was becoming more interesting with each passing moment. He didn't believe her words for a second, but seeing the look of horror crossing her mother's face as he spoke just amused him even further.

"That's not what," Kagome started before shutting her mouth. There was no way she would agree with what he had said, but she couldn't exactly deny it either, not if she wanted her plan to have a chance of working. The way her mother was staring at her now made her long to trade places with her grandfather on the floor. _'Inuyasha where are you? I know you're out there somewhere. Please, help us!'_

Shaking his head, Naraku set the Tetsusaiga aside and proceeded to move next to the older woman. "You know, I don't believe you have any intention of giving me what I desire. Instead, you're stalling for time, praying that the half breed will come through the well and save you. Put aside your foolish dreams now little girl, there will be no one to stop me this time. Not you and certainly not Inuyasha, " he said and then knelt next to the miko's mother, "You know, if I'd have managed to find your daughter before she'd fallen through the well, all of this would have been unnecessary. I could have removed the Shikon from her possession and none of you would have been troubled with this foolishness. But now because your daughter takes me for a fool, you will have to die so I can prove to her that I intend to have what is rightfully mine. Nothing will stop me."

Kagome watched in terror as Naraku manipulated the tentacles holding her mother in place until she was suspended in mid air, dangling like a puppet on a string. The sheer terror in her mother's eyes left no doubt that the woman knew she was about to die. All the stories she'd told her family about Naraku's cruelty had suddenly come to life, it was no longer some strange fairy tale in their minds.

"Please! Don't do this," she cried, but it was too late to reason with him. With horror she watched as the thick appendages swirled around the woman's legs, nearly caressing the bared skin and inching further beneath her skirt, slowly creeping higher and disappearing from view. Suddenly they pulsed and surged forward with a violence that tore a scream of pain from her mother's throat.

"Momma!" Kagome screamed in terror as the woman's body convulsed violently, pinned in place by her bonds. Blood gushed in torrents, splattering against the floor wetly and filling the air with its coppery aroma. The horrified wails of her brother combined with her own as they witnessed the final moments of their mother's life.

"Delicious," Naraku purred in satisfaction, listening to the reaction of his captive audience. The children's terror was sweet, but the agonized cries of the older woman were like music to his ears. Eagerly he watched the way her skin rippled and pulsed with each passing moment, caused by the vines tearing through her body like it was nothing more than paper. Abruptly the screams ended with a gush of blood erupting from her mouth, followed quickly by the writhing appendages working their way out of her mouth. Yet still they continued to grow, feeding on the energy that Naraku was supplying until the sounds of tearing flesh filled the room. Soon the corpse was in pieces, the tentacles crawling wetly through the remains as if they were snakes on the prowl and looking for their next meal.

"So," Naraku began after a moment's silence to savor his latest kill, "do you care to be more convincing this time or are you going to attempt to placate me with yet another lie, miko? You can't possibly believe I would accept that a wish would destroy the jewel. Kikyo was willing to believe it because of how greatly she desired to be an ordinary human, but you are smarter than that, and so am I. You might not have it in your direct possession, but you can easily lead me to where it is. I will not be put off with lies in some foolish attempt to stall me until help can arrive." While Inuyasha was dead in this time, there were others of their old group still among the living. It would not do for them to seek the miko out and find him here. Until he had the jewel in his possession, it was best to avoid a confrontation with the more powerful demons she'd allied herself with.

"Dammit!," Kagome screamed at the demon, unsure of what to do or say anymore, "I tell you that I can't get it and you don't believe me. I tell you that I'll try and get it for you and you call me a liar. Make up your mind, which is it that you want?" Deep down though she knew that neither answer was the correct one, but what more could she do? _'Nothing. There's nothing more that I can do.' _Once Naraku was finished, he'd kill them both and take his leave and she was powerless to stop the demon. Perhaps if Inuyasha were here they would stand a chance, but not as things stood now.

For now, Naraku ignored her questions as if they'd never been spoken. It was clear that she wasn't going to give him what he wanted, she was refusing to cooperate and for that he would show her no mercy. Besides, he had a death to avenge and what better time to take it than now? A slow smile spread across his face when another way to torture them both came to mind. "Tell me, boy," he said, his tone laced with genuine curiosity and turned his attentions towards Souta, "I'm going to give you a choice and your decision will determine the destiny of what is left of your family. I can let you go now and you can leave, never to look back. But the cost of your life will be that you leave your sister to die by my hands. Or, I can kill you and allow her to go free in an attempt to find the Shikon like she claims to be able to do. If she produces the jewel I'll allow her to live and never trouble her again. Tell me, which option do you choose?"

With wide eyes Souta stared up at the demon who had singlehandedly managed to slaughter his family, and render the only person he knew that had the power to save them completely defenseless. His life was forfeit, he knew that much already despite the show of _generosity_ that was being extended his way. Even if he were to choose to live, Naraku would kill him before he managed to cross the threshold, after slaughtering Kagome like he had the others. _'So what choice does that leave me?'_ Regardless, he couldn't condemn his sister to die, he loved her too much. She was the one who had to live and somehow escape. Slowly he drew a shuddering breath, knowing that he was about to seal his fate. Once the words were spoken, there was no way to take them back, not even to spare himself the pain of what was to come. "Take me and let her go," he said at last, keeping his gaze trained on the floor. He couldn't bear to see the pain in Kagome's eyes now after hearing him condemn himself to death.

"How touching," Naraku mused and stared down at the boy, "very well. I'll take your life in lieu of your sister's for the time being. Just know this in your final moments, should she fail to produce the Shikon, she will join you in the afterlife." Then he looked over his shoulder and his gaze took in the miko's appearance. It was clear that those final words had finally broken her spirit. Had he known that all it would take was hearing her brother willingly giving his life for her own he would have taken that step earlier. Yet in spite of that revelation, Naraku wasn't feeling particularly merciful and as such had no intentions of making Souta's death a quick one. Closing his eyes, he allowed a pulse of power to wrack his body and the demons that made up his body began to rearrange themselves. Moments later one broke free, slowly peeling away from his body and taking the shape of a large flesh-eating lizard.

Cold, amber eyes stared down at the frail human and a forked tongue slithered out of its mouth to taste the air, scenting the food that it was being offered. The smell of fear was predominant, quickly followed by the pungent aroma of urine when its prey realized it was truly trapped. Exhaling heavily, its breath came out as a low hiss, mingling with the whimpers of terror coming from the human boy. Patiently it waited, biding its time until the hunt was on and it came even more quickly than it anticipated. The tentacles holding the boy in place vanished and within moments the prey was running in terror, blinded by the fear that came from knowing he was about to die. Yet the human had no chance, none at all in outrunning the hunter. In the space of one heartbeat and the next, it was upon the small form and its claws were digging deeply into his flesh. The scent of blood filling the room had a drugging effect and for a moment the lizard didn't move. Instead it stared down at the struggling human, contemplating which delicacy it wanted to try first.

Flexing its claws, the lizard gripped its prey by the shoulders and lunged, sinking its razor sharp teeth in the tender flesh of a shoulder before giving a violent tug. The sickening crunch of bones filled the air just before the body was torn in half, silencing the human's screams. The lizard lifted its head with Souta's severed torso dangling from it's mouth, giving the miko a spectacular view of her brother's demise. Soon after, bits of flesh and internal organs fell to the floor while the demon feasted on its prize and soon nothing remained of the tidbit it had been gifted with. Inhaling deeply it began looking for its next victim, but an order from Naraku had it pausing in its tracks.

"That's enough, I have another destiny in mind for the miko," Naraku said quietly. The words garnered no reaction from the girl whatsoever, but that stony silence wouldn't last long as all. Slowly he paced towards her, stopping only when he was close enough to touch her. "All this pain and suffering for a trinket that by all rights you should be eager to rid yourself of. Will you not give me the jewel, even to save yourself?"

Kagome wordlessly shook her head, unable to even speak after the brutality that she'd witnessed. Death would be a blessed relief compared to the overwhelming pain that she was in from watching her family being slaughtered before her eyes. Whatever purpose she had was gone now, along with the Shikon, wherever it was. The only thing she could take comfort in was that it would be over soon and Naraku would never get his hands on the jewel.

Naraku had been expecting that sort of reaction from her, so he wasn't surprised. In the end he supposed that it didn't matter, Kagome was the quickest method for finding the jewel, but by no means was she the only one. After all, he'd found many of the shards in the past on his own and he would do so again. "So be it then, miko," he replied coldly and manipulated the tentacles into releasing her. Yet he had no fears of her attempting to run from him, he could see the acceptance of death in her eyes. Still, when she made the slightest of movements he bound her hands so that she couldn't make an attempt to purify him.

Once she was sufficiently restrained, Naraku yanked her to her feet and began dragging her out of the house. There was no fear of being discovered by the people who frequented the shrine for he had no qualms about killing anyone who got in his way. But it wasn't something he needed to be concerned about to begin with, the courtyard was deserted leaving a clear path to their destination, the Goshinboku. The tree where Inuyasha had been sealed away for fifty years was to be the execution ground for the miko who had caused him so much trouble.

Only once they reached the tree did Kagome seem to snap out of the trance she'd been held in and begin to struggle. Violently she strained against her bonds, her will to survive overriding any death wish she had at that particular moment. Pure instinct dominated her movements, but it was all in vain, it had come too little too late and within moments she was bound to the ancient tree.

"And here I thought you'd accepted your fate, miko," Naraku said with amusement and surveyed his handiwork. The irony of the location was just too good for the demon to pass up and when he began to pile up small bits of wood and tinder around the woman's legs, a positively sadistic expression overtook his features. Briefly he wondered how long it would take for word of Kagome's death to reach the others before he decided that it didn't matter. They hadn't realized that he'd managed to survive, even after he'd taken the half breed out. Assuming they were able to deduce that he was behind this, it was unlikely they'd manage to find him. The inept way they handled themselves both in the past and the present assured his relative safety. Finally he stepped away from his handiwork and withdrew a lighter from his pants pocket. Giving her one final look, he flipped it open and lit it, tossing the flame at her feet and watching as the fire sparked, slowly at first and then growing in intensity.

"Somebody help me!" Kagome screamed as loudly as she could, praying someone would come to her aid. While the fire was still small, she had no doubts that it would quickly gain in strength and soon envelope her body. The heat was already unbearable, easily penetrating her shoes and melting the plastic to the soles of her feet. Yet for all of her thrashing freedom remained just beyond her reach, while Naraku stood nearby, mocking her pain.

It wasn't long before her screams lost any coherency and the miko was reduced to shrieking in agony. The flames licked higher up her legs and enveloped her clothing in its fiery embrace, tainting the air with the acrid stench of burning flesh. Within moments it had surrounded her entire body, greedily consuming one of the most powerful Priestesses in Japan's history. However, it was strange that the Goshinboku remained untouched by the fire, defiantly withstanding the touch of the flames.

Breathing was now impossible and the only thing that Kagome could feel was pain. Through the red haze she could see her tormentor, taking delight in her torment, but soon even that visage was taken from her. The agony of her eyes exploding under the intense heat was excruciating, but by now her body had been pushed beyond the limits of her endurance. The comfort of slipping into unconsciousness was like a blessing, and soon after, her life was extinguished leaving only the fire Naraku had set to consume what was left of her body.

With the miko's death, there was no reason for Naraku to remain at the shrine. Instead, he had a future to look forward to, even if it came with the headache of retrieving the Shikon from parts unknown. One of the few people that could hope to kill him was now dead and there was little for him to fear. Let lord Sesshoumaru or Kouga seek him out now. Without the miko, their powers would not be enough to subdue him. Smiling to himself, he proceeded to vanish from sight, intent on beginning this newest quest for power. Before he was finished, Japan would fall beneath his rule and then he would move on to conquering the world.

_~In another part of Tokyo~_

The vaguest feeling of unease had been plaguing Shippo throughout the day, but he hadn't been able to pinpoint exactly what was causing the problem. Sighing in irritation, he tugged at his tie while wondering just how in the hell he'd been roped into going into this meeting in the first place. _'Oh yeah, Sesshoumaru wanted me to oversee the meeting to insure that our investors are reassured that our company is on schedule. If these lack wits had been paying attention they would have noticed that the 'person' serving them is actually one of the A.I. prototypes they're so worried about.'_

When he actually thought about it, Shippo was struck with the irony that it was a company of demons who were heading the advancement of artificial intelligence with the hopes of eventually developing cybernetic organisms. The sound of his fingers drumming against the polished surface of the conference table drew everyone's attention towards him and he had to repress a sigh. Pointing out how ridiculous this little conversation was wouldn't do any good and it would likely piss Sesshoumaru off since it would invariably bring the dog demon a headache dealing with them later. "Mr. Takanaka, I assure you that we have everything under control. If you'd look at the folder that Yuki has provided, you would see that we're actually two months ahead of schedule. Your worries while understandable, are groundless," Shippo said, filling the silence and then waited for the predictable response that was sure to follow.

"I've already looked at the paperwork, Mr. Hakashi and my concerns remain. What we see on paperwork means nothing if we have nothing to observe for ourselves. You say the prototype is up and running, but we've yet to see proof," Mr. Takanaka replied stuffily, adjusting his glasses to peer at the red head at the end of the table. He still couldn't understand why they'd been sent this young upstart to deal with their concerns instead of the CEO of the company.

"With all due respect, Mr. Takanaka, proof has been standing before you for the last two hours yet you've failed to notice it. Yuki here is the proof that's been staring you in the face this entire time. While he hasn't been programmed for the combat training that we've discussed, his appearance is exactly what you've requested. Even you were unable to tell that he's a machine and that is more than any of the other companies you've contracted can say," Shippo replied smugly and leaned across the desk, daring the man to contradict him. This was why it was so rare that he involved himself in these sort of meetings, he just didn't have the patience to deal with these business types. _'Now if only I could get out of here. Sesshoumaru told me she was due to return any day now and I'll be damned if I'm putting off seeing her for any longer than necessary.'_

Mr. Takanaka stared at their host with wide eyes, "You mean?" Abruptly his gaze swung over to the person in question. What he'd assumed to be a well trained assistant was actually one of the weapons they'd contracted? It hardly seemed possible, there was nothing about the young man that even appeared to be remotely animatronic.

"Yes, Yuki is the first fully functional example of the ITbeta line. We're coming close to perfecting the technology, all that's left is software development. Once you gain the government grants necessary to begin integrating human genetics into the system we can work on advancement, but until then, your system specifics have been met," Shippo stated matter of factly and slid the closed folder containing the necessary documents across the table to the man. He couldn't begin to predict just how long it would take until they were actually able to utilize living tissue with their development, but he wasn't going to worry about it too much. Knowing the way the government worked it would be years before they accepted such a practice so until then, these fools had to be happy with what they were able to achieve.

Seeing how quickly the business men began pouring over the documents, Shippo stood away from the table, "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me I've got other business I must attend to. If you have any further questions please direct them to Mr. Hotori." Now that he was no longer needed he could look into just what it was that was setting him ill at ease. Giving a pointed look to his assistant, Shippo knew that the man would take care getting Yuki back to the office. Without giving the room a backwards glance he made his way out of the building, occasionally nodding to the people he passed. Fortunately no one attempted to detain him, he just wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else for the rest of the afternoon.

It was only once he was within the relative privacy of the car that Shippo allowed the illusion he'd cast to fall and his demonic characteristics reappeared. The tie was also quickly yanked off and tossed onto the leather seat, earning him a raised eyebrow from the driver. "Don't look at me like that, Jaken. You can't tell me you wouldn't peel that noose from around your neck if you had half the chance," he stated blandly, daring the other demon to contradict him.

There were times he envied the kitsune and his ability to get away with things he wouldn't dream of attempting. If it were up to him he wouldn't be driving Shippo around while wearing an illusion that made him appear human. Looking up in the rear view mirror he regarded the kitsune, "So what are you doing out of the meeting so early? If you're shirking your duties again Lord Sesshoumaru's fury will be uncontrollable."

"Spare me the lecture, Jaken," Shippo said with a sigh, "those idiots shut up soon enough after hearing that Yuki was actually a robot instead of a human." He fell silent as the feeling of unease washed over him again and he regarded Jaken uneasily, "Have you felt anything... out of the ordinary lately?" While it was a long shot, there was a chance that the toad might be sensitive enough to pick up on what was wrong and corroborate his own gut feeling.

"Of course not, if there was something amiss Lord Sesshoumaru would have already known and dealt with the problem," Jaken replied instantly, confident in his lord's abilities. The dubious look that the kitsune was giving him was ignored, while the red head had survived centuries fraught with terrible battles he was still considered quite young compared to a demon such as himself. Eventually Shippo would learn not to question his judgment.

"All the same," Shippo said, frowning when he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong, "take me to the Higurashi shrine." Something told him that it centered around Kagome although he couldn't explain just what it was. Fortunately he was only a couple of miles away from the place and could see for himself soon enough whether she was back or not. One one hand he couldn't wait to see her, but on the other, he wasn't looking forward to explaining to her everything that had happened in the past five hundred years.

The scenery passed by the window of the car quickly, but Shippo stared out without seeing any of it. His mind was firmly entrenched in the past, thinking about the friends that he'd lost throughout the years. Inuyasha's death had been a particularly hard one to deal with since no one knew exactly who it had been that had killed him. All they knew was that his body had been brutally torn apart and the Tetsusaiga taken. The area hadn't even shown signs of a struggle which meant whoever the killer was had been quick and taken the hanyou by surprise. His death was likely to be a harsh blow to the miko he hoped to see, but there was no way he would lie to her. That was likely to be the first question she presented him with and he wasn't looking forward to it.

The moment the shrine came into view his attention was immediately riveted to the slight plume of smoke that was lazily rising into the air. "Stop the car," he snapped and reached for the door handle. In all his time of watching over the shrine there was never a fire there unless is was time for a festival and there certainly wasn't one meant to occur anytime in the near future. Throwing the door open he leapt out of the car and was racing up the stairs. The horrible stench of burning flesh hit his nose, causing his heart to race in fear. Yet when he reached the top of the stairs his heart froze in his chest. "Kagome no," he whispered, stunned by what he was seeing.

Behind him he could hear Jaken's approach, but he ignored the smaller demon and began walking towards the woman he'd known since childhood. 'Oh god, who would do this?' The sight was horrific and if he hadn't seen such atrocities in his life he might have completely broken down, but he couldn't afford to, not right now. Exercising his power, Shippo took a firm grip on the fire still dancing around her body and extinguished it. It was only then that he saw the charred remains of the tentacles that had bound her to the Goshinboku, rendering her helpless against an attack.

"Naraku," he growled out loud, giving name to the only demon who could possibly want to do such a thing to her. How he'd survived was unknown, but Shippo was determined to find out.

"Call Sesshoumaru," he snapped at the demon standing behind him, "we're going hunting. I'm going to make that bastard pay for touching her."


	2. Chapter Two

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character death, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: I know I said I had a posting schedule of every two weeks, but I have this chapter ready to go before then, courtesy of KogasHentaiLuver who has graciously agreed to beta the story.

A few other points of interest before we get on with the chapter. My knowledge of the Trinity Blood universe only extends to what has been covered in the anime and what I could decipher from online searches. As such, I've taken more than a couple of liberties with some of the character's back stories and how the vampiric biology works throughout this fic. Hopefully though, it works well enough that there won't be any complaints about it being against manga canon.

Thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far. I hope that the story continues to be as enjoyable as the first chapter was.

**Chapter Two**

_3042 AD_

It had been over one thousand years and he still hadn't located the jewel. That thought alone was maddening yet there was little that Naraku could do to change things. To this day he was cursing the dead miko, damning her for having hid the artifact so well. Yet at times, when the frustration became overwhelming, he couldn't help but wonder if she'd been speaking the truth and that the jewel had disappeared for good. It never took him long to rid himself of that notion; however, because the souls that made up the jewel just wouldn't have disappeared with a wish being made. The entire idea was preposterous, it had to be out there somewhere, and he just hadn't found it yet.

But he knew that would soon change and the frown gradually smoothed away, leaving a calculating expression on his face. There weren't many places that the jewel could be hiding now when he thought about it. Even though centuries had passed since he slaughtered the Priestess and her pathetic family, the jewel would still seek out those of power. The problem with that idea was the Earth's population of humans had taken a beating with the war that had broken out. Armageddon they had called it and it had nearly wiped out every living being on the planet. Humans, demons, it hadn't mattered which species you belonged to, it took its toll on them all and left death and destruction in its wake.

Yet humans were resilient creatures, worse than roaches in his opinion and they bounced back quickly enough. Perhaps not with the same numbers that they had achieved before, but the fact still remained, they survived. More than that, they flourished and continued in the advancement of the technology that had brought the world to ruin in the first place. None of that mattered to him however, so long as they stayed out of his way when it came to his search. Still, it behooved him to pay attention to the way the world was changing around him and it came as no surprise when they managed to colonize Mars. What he hadn't expected though was the emergence of the Methusela which was nothing more than a fancy name for a vampire. _'Pathetic. As if their abilities weren't enough to distinguish themselves from the plague of humans littering the Earth.'_

The truly disturbing part; however, was how the Methusela seemed to be on the threshold of dominating the Earth. While he had no love for humans, it bothered him that a race that had only recently grown powerful enough to make themselves known had been able to gain more control than the demons that had survived the war. Perhaps it had been overconfidence, but most of them had brushed aside the idea that the humans could bring them to the brink of extinction. _'Perhaps I should be thanking the fools; it means there aren't as many with the power to contest my reign once I have the Shikon in my hands again.'_

It was a double edged sword though since much of his own growth in power depended on the beings he managed to subdue and absorb into his own body. The few demons that remained could become a serious problem, especially if they discovered his whereabouts. Sesshoumaru and Kouga were still alive and hunting for him even to this day, which hindered much of his movements. To get careless at this late stage of the game could easily be a fatal mistake and that was something he had no intentions of doing. Sooner or later he would confront those two and take their power for his own, but now was not the time. _'Once I have the jewel, only then can I begin to take my revenge against those that remain.'_

One might equate the situation to a game of chess, strategically manipulating the pieces on the board and the odds were stacked in his favor. It had taken many months of searching and deciphering rumors, but now he was certain that he had the jewel within reach. Smirking to himself, he drained the last of the brandy in his glass and set it carefully on the table. Should his calculations be correct, the Shikon would be in his hands before nightfall.

"Attention, attention. We've arrived in Rome and we will begin landing shortly. All passengers please return to your seats until the Captain brings the airship into port. Thank you."

Once the intercom clicked off, Naraku leaned back in his chair and contemplated his next move. Much thought had been put into just why the Shikon had never resurfaced and ultimately he decided that with the death of the Guardian there was a good chance that the jewel followed her into the afterlife. It had done so once before and it had been proven that it had attached to her soul. For centuries he'd hunted for the girl's reincarnation only to come up empty handed, but then came the rumors of someone with enough ability to astral project, even though her body remained in a coma and on the brink of death. Few humans were known to possess such abilities and the fact that she was closely associated with the Vatican only made her more suspect in his mind. To that end he'd done quite a bit of checking up on this Sister Kate Scott and he couldn't say he was displeased with what he found. The pieces fit just a bit too carefully and for a woman who was supposed to be dead, it reeked of the jewel's interference.

After all, it wasn't often that someone was targeted by the Rosen Kreuz and survived. Yet Naraku was cautious and didn't hold any foolish beliefs that there was no way it could slip through his grasp again. He'd come up empty handed far too many times to believe failure was an impossibility. No, until he had the artifact in his hands he would be cautiously optimistic and until then he'd continue to scheme and plot his next move. The gentle shudder of the airship touching down jerked him out of his thoughts and he knew they had arrived. Soon enough the sound of the engine died down, signaling it was time to disembark. He was already on his feet when the stewardess began to approach and he waved her away, not wanting to deal with any further delays. The small suitcase near his feet was the only baggage he'd brought with him. It was too much of a hassle to carry around anything more, especially when he needed to be able to move quickly. If necessary he could buy more clothing as the need presented itself, but for now, it wasn't something to worry about.

Quickly, he departed the airship, not bothering to stop and pick up a map of the districts he'd be traveling through. There wasn't a move that he made that hadn't been carefully planned and this time was no exception. Before he'd even embarked on this journey he'd familiarized himself with Rome and its many districts. There was no need for a map at this point in time, although if push came to shove he'd save himself the headache of wandering around aimlessly and buy one. Calmly he stared at the masses of people milling around, trying not to wrinkle his nose in disgust at the smells that assaulted his nose. There were times that he missed the relative clean air of the feudal era, but there was no point in reminiscing, he had a mission to accomplish.

Naraku took only a moment to get his bearings before setting off to the west, his destination the Borgo district. It would figure that they would keep the woman's body close to the Vatican, although why they didn't keep it within the city itself he wasn't certain. Perhaps they didn't know of the artifact that she potentially held and; as such, saw no reason for the added protection. Whatever the reason, it worked to his advantage. Just as the sheer amount of people that surrounded him did as well. Nothing had been left to chance and even his attire was proper for the place he'd found himself in. While his facial features marked him as foreign, most would assume that he was born to the area or had relocated to this location years ago.

However one thing he hadn't counted on was the weather to hold and he nearly cursed when the first raindrop struck him. The last thing he wanted was to be caught in a rainstorm yet he wasn't willing to put off his search for any longer than necessary. People started running in their hurry to get out of the downpour and Naraku took advantage of their actions. Blending in with the crowd, he darted towards a building that was surrounded by street vendors and retreated behind them, blending into the shadows. Now out of sight, he was free to utilize all of the powers at his disposal and melted into the shadows.

Being able to move in the shadow realm had its definite advantages and this was one time he was grateful for the ability. Nothing touched him as he slid through the space between the living world and its alternate realm, nor did he have any fears about being seen now. Infiltrating the place where her body was being kept would be easy and in this state it wouldn't matter if someone happened to be lurking near her bedside. He'd still cut the jewel out of her body and they'd be powerless to stop him.

"Ah, there it is," Naraku mused to himself when he found himself in front of a rather elaborate estate. The wrought iron gate holding the nameplate assured the demon that he had the correct location. Easily, he passed through the entrance, his presence going completely unnoticed by the guard stationed there. It would seem that his sources were correct; this woman was one of considerable status even if one overlooked the fact that she was the Captain of the Iron Maiden.

Lightning flashed overhead, but he paid it no mind. Instead he concentrated on the task at hand which was gaining entrance into the house. It was even easier than he anticipated. A rather harried looking servant opened the front door and stepped into the foul weather, barely managing to open an umbrella over her head before the wind whisked it away. Chuckling to himself, he slipped through the open doorway before she had a chance to shut it behind her and completely disregarded the look of bewilderment that crossed her face. Let her believe she was hearing things or maybe it was just the wind, none of it mattered now that he had the thrill of the hunt coursing through his veins. Soon, very soon he would be spilling blood and there was a certain satisfaction that came with that act alone even without the promise of a precious gem to sweeten the deal.

Another set of servants came down a nearby hall which made him pause. They weren't wearing the normal garb of ordinary workers. Instead they were wearing garb that was customary of one in the medical field. While there was a possibility that there were others that would require the services of a doctor, Naraku was willing to bet that these two were Sister Kate's personal physicians. _'This is proving to be too easy. Hm... And here I thought that this might pose a bit of a challenge after all the trouble I went through to find her.' _The woman's location wasn't commonly known given the position the Vatican had appointed her. The Methusela would waste no time in exploiting the information should they get their hands on it. To take out the Captain of the airship which guarded the city and all the power it contained would sway the balance of power over to their side. While the Pope had Special Forces in place to protect him and those he had appointed as his advisors, to lose such an asset as the Iron Maiden would be a devastating blow.

Certain that his target was close; he walked quickly to the end of the hall and rested his hand upon the door. Yet the last thing that he was expecting was the jolt of holy energy that surged up through the wood and raced through his arm. The pain was excruciating and for several long moments it was all he could do not to scream. Violently he ripped his hand away and glared at it, evaluating the damage. While it was nothing near the power that he'd experienced at the hands of the two mikos who were unfortunate enough to cross his path, it was something that he hadn't been expecting. In the shadow realm he wasn't strong enough to counter the protections with his youki which left him at an impasse.

Whoever had placed the wards had to have carried a fair amount of talent and power, the question became were they still present? While he didn't doubt his abilities in subduing the person responsible, it did mean delays and the possibility that the servants would have enough time to summon help. They were not that far from the Vatican and he was under no illusions that they wouldn't protect one of their own. Yet there was no way he could get near the wench in this form which meant he had little choice but to expose himself. A sneer crossed his face and he shifted back into the living realm, carefully watching for the signs of any watchers. _'I should slaughter them all for the inconvenience they are presenting.' _

However, no one made an appearance in response to the protections being activated and Naraku was left to assume that whoever had put them in place believed that they'd never be needed or had been called away to put their skills to use elsewhere. Either way it meant that the opportunity to kill the one responsible wasn't forthcoming and he'd have to be satisfied with the death of the woman lying just beyond that doorway.

For a moment he didn't move and remained impassive, staring at the doorway in contemplation. Most wards took time to unravel unless there was no reason to worry about alerting its creator to the attack. Deciding that there was no point in wasting the time and removing it the proper way, Naraku allowed his youki to surge and surround him with its demonic glow. The reaction from the warding was instantaneous and soon the entire corridor was alight with the glow of holy energy. The air around him crackled in protest yet still he increased the amount of energy that he gave off.

The wind given off from the conflicting energy tore at his clothing and blew his hair around his body wildly. Yet the sounds of the storm raging outside would prevent anyone from hearing the commotion in the hallway unless they were exceedingly close, in which instance the conflicting energies might well kill them before they could sound an alert. In a shower of sparks the ward was destroyed, leaving the door charred and smoldering.

Naraku pushed the door open, ignoring the groan the wood gave off when he did so. The bright lighting of the room assaulted his eyes and it took a moment for the temporary blindness to fade. Excitement filled him when his gaze finally landed on the woman lying unmoving on the bed. "At last, it's mine again," Naraku whispered maliciously and strode towards the bed. It was faint, but he could feel it, she possessed the Shikon within her body, but not for much longer.

Carefully he took in the appearance of her aura and frowned at what he found. All these years he'd been operating under the assumption that the Shikon would return to its Guardian, but this was clearly not the same soul that both Kikyo and Kagome had possessed. So why had the jewel chosen her of all people? He'd been expecting the opportunity to eliminate Kikyo's soul yet a third time, ensuring there was no chance that she'd be able to challenge him in this lifetime._ 'So what does this mean then? Is it possible that she's reincarnated without the jewel?'_ No matter how he looked at it, it just didn't make sense. The soul had bonded to the Shikon and together they should have remained, at least until they separated again. _'It's no matter; the outcome is still the same. The jewel is mine and if the Guardian comes for it again, I'll take great pleasure in ending her pathetic life yet again.'_

Besides, there would be plenty of time for contemplation later after he removed the Shikon from her possession. "Show me where the jewel is little one," he whispered and laid a hand on her pale cheek. Even if he hadn't known of who she was, he would have taken her for someone of great importance. Where smooth pale flesh should have been, there were fiber optic wires that disappeared beneath the surface. No doubt this was how she controlled the Iron Maiden and briefly he wondered if the great battle ship would be destroyed when she took her final breath. But that wasn't something he could worry about now, not when his prize was so close at hand. Even now the jewel's energy was reacting to his own although it was born of protest, not of any desire to be reunited with him. Slowly he moved his hand down over her slender throat and then towards where the Shikon had revealed itself, deep within her abdomen. His fingers twitched in anticipation when they finally skimmed over the precise spot it was located. Smirking cruelly, Naraku raised his hand and poised it over her body. He paused only slightly before thrusting it downwards, intent on tearing the jewel from her flesh.

_In The Vatican_

"Are you absolutely sure this is where the attacks are manifesting from," Cardinal Caterina Sforza, Duchess of Milan, asked of the group that was assembled in her office. Multiple folders littered her desk, all reports on the attacks that had been taking place for the past two years. The sheer amount of death they represented was disheartening to say the least. _'This cannot go on much longer; something has to be done quickly.'_

At first they had been certain the deaths were being caused by the Methusela since it was only humans that were being targeted. Or more specifically, humans that showed signs of being blessed by God. But then the vampires themselves had been targeted, yet the differences were there was no trace of a body remaining. For a while the incidences were believed to be unrelated, but as the number of attacks grew they were forced to acknowledge the possibility that there was one person behind it.

"As certain as we can be under the circumstances," Father Abel Nightroad replied with a sigh, "Information on the disappearances have been sketchy at best, but one thing that we do know is the frequency is far greater within the empire than they have been throughout our jurisdiction." In truth he was rather worried, while he hadn't known any of the humans that had been killed; he knew it was only a matter of time before the killer struck at someone within the Vatican. There were far too many people in the city that had innate abilities to be overlooked for much longer.

Silence descended upon the room for a few moments and it was ultimately Father Hugue who broke it, "Where does the Empress stand on this issue?" While there was no love lost between him and the vampires, he was willing to look at the bigger picture, for now. So long as humans were being targeted, even he had considered this an issue that needed to be dealt with swiftly and; as such, had responded to the summons the Cardinal had issued.

Lady Caterina regarded him calmly for a moment, contemplating the enigma of a man standing before her before speaking, "The Empress is looking into the situation within her lands, but as of yet, there is little indication of who is responsible. As soon as she has more information she will inform us of her findings." Even from here she could see the slight frown of irritation, but to his credit, he remained silent. Honestly, she couldn't blame him for his hatred despite the fact that she was trying to bring peace between the two races. Given that the blond had lost his entire family to vampires, save for a sister that had been missing for years, it was little wonder that the man went out of his way to exterminate them. It had given him a well deserved reputation for ruthlessness and at times, he had disobeyed the directives he'd been given completely in order to accomplish what _he_ felt was right. In light of that there were many times that he managed to surprise her by agreeing to work with them at all.

"And what of our operatives in the field?" The question came from Father Vaclav Havel, one of Caterina's most trusted advisors. While he didn't say much, he was constantly taking information in, storing it for later examination. When the meeting was finished, there was no doubt in his mind that he would be the one needed to lend silent support to the woman he stood beside. Her burden was far too great to bear alone, nor would he allow her to try.

In the end it was Father Tres Iqus that answered Father Vaclav's question. When the killings had started the Cardinal had assigned him as the head of the investigation team. For now, he had more jurisdiction over the cases than the Department of Inquisitions did. "Our operatives are recording all travel both in and out of the city. All suspicious activity is monitored and so far twenty six suspects have been detained for questioning," he stated matter of factly, his eyes never deviating from the intense stare the Duchess was giving him, "So far none of them have information pertaining to this case."

"So the perpetrator hasn't shown up yet or they're covering their tracks exceedingly well," Lady Caterina mused and glanced down at the files in front of her again. It was troublesome that their suspect was so elusive, but that was to be expected from a being able to take out the victims that were on the list in front of her. What was more worrisome was the fact that her half brother Francesco wouldn't be held at bay for long. In spite of the fact that they had no idea who was doing this, he was determined that the best way to curb the problem was by the use of force and he had all the power he would need right at his fingertips since he headed the Department of Inquisition. However, she couldn't exactly see how that would solve their problems and as such refused to give into his demands. So long as she held the Pope's ear on this matter they'd be able to proceed as they had been, but the moment that changed... _'I don't even want to consider the blood that would be shed in his endeavors to find the killer.'_

Sister Kate remained silent as the conversation continued around her. Really, there wasn't much that she could add to it seeing as the killer had avoided the city thus far. The fleeting thought crossed her mind that they could perhaps bait the one responsible out into the open before dismissing it. Without knowing what abilities he had, there was a good chance that the person setting themselves up would be killed in the process. Suddenly her attention turned completely inward and she was absorbed in the information that was pouring in through the Iron Maiden's radar. An immense energy source had sprung up without warning and it wasn't that far away. "Your Grace, we've got a problem," she said, breaking into the quiet discussion the Cardinal was holding with Father Nightroad.

"What is it, Sister Kate?" Lady Caterina asked, her voice laced with concern. If there was one thing that she was certain of it was that if the sister said there was a problem then it was something that needed attending to, quickly. She wasn't the only one feeling the sense of urgency either; the others were staring at the woman's projection with varying expressions of dread and anticipation.

"A massive energy reading," she replied tersely, her brow furrowing in agitation. Something like this just didn't pop up out of nowhere and especially right under their noses! "The sensors are locking down on the target now. It's," her eyes widened considerably as the data came through, "it's at..."

The feeling of wrongness peaked at that instant and Father Nightroad was forced to watch in horror as the woman's face contorted in pain and her words were cut off, degrading into a moan of pain. "Sister Kate," he shouted when her image crumpled to the floor, although he had no idea what could possibly be afflicting her to elicit such a reaction. Nor could he do anything about it, the image in the office was nothing more than an astral projection that was boosted by one of the Professor's inventions.

The woman's scream filled the air seconds before a deep gash appeared in her abdomen and blood began to pour down the front of her dress. Frantically her hands gripped at the wound, clawing at her invisible assailant, but it had no effect. Her back arched as the torn flesh was seemingly probed before being torn open even further. The rippling of her skin suggested that something was digging into her body and that was what finally galvanized Abel into action. "Father Tres, let's go," he shouted and then sprinted from the room.

"Positive," Tres replied and then followed the Crusnik out of the room, sparing one last glance at the Cardinal. While he didn't wish to leave, he had to trust in the others not to follow them. The probability was high that if the attacker was strong enough to bypass the protections placed upon Sister Kate then Caterina would also be at risk and would need protection. Since his abilities were required elsewhere, it would be up to the other AX members to see to her safety. Curious onlookers watched them run pass although none of them were foolish enough to get in their way. While neither had their guns drawn, their expressions were serious enough to clear the path before them.

'_It has to be the killer, who else would make such a direct attack?' _Father Nightroad had seen many things in his lifetime so there was little that managed to shock him, yet this had hit him hard. He already had to live with the guilt of Sister Noelle's death on his hands, there was no way he could stand by, and watch as another team mate dies. While he had no idea what the motivation behind the attack was he was certain the only way to stop it was to get to the estate. This had been an attack on her body; there was no other explanation. _'I just hope we're in time to save her. We have to be.'_

"Father Nightroad, this way," Tres ordered flatly, quickly analyzing the quickest possible route to get to the estate. Being so late in the afternoon there was more foot traffic than normal and their best bet was to take an alternate route. They couldn't take the chance of being caught in a crowd that had no concept of the emergency that was taking place.

"Right," Father Abel responded and darted down the side road his comrade had taken. Tres knew the layout of the city quite possibly better than anyone else on the team and he trusted his judgment. Water splashed under his feet with each step he took, soaking his pants and the bottom of his cloak. While the storm had lasted only a few minutes, it had left ample proof that it had passed though. A quick glance at the sky told him that there was a good chance the heavens could open up again at any moment and he risked sending a fervent prayer that the rain could wait until they reached the estate.

It seemed to take an eternity to the men as they ran, but at long last the estate came into view. Whether or not Caterina had called ahead and alerted the guards to the problem wasn't in question. The post at the gate had long since been abandoned and from inside the manor they could hear the screams of the people attempting to stop Sister Kate's assailant. Roughly he pushed past a terrified servant who was bolting out the front door, her once tidy uniform bathed in crimson. Even from here he could smell the coppery stench of blood and it caused his fury to grow.

Once inside, Tres easily passed Father Nightroad and drew his guns, intent on finding and eliminating their target. Quickly he took in the bodies that were strewn about the hallway, noting the way that some of them had been speared while others had literally been torn limb from limb. Clearly they were dealing with someone without remorse and he would have no qualms about eliminating the person responsible. "Check on Sister Kate, I will deal with the subject," he said in a tone that brooked no room for argument, not that he expected one. Now all he needed to do was get a lock on the target.

"I'm on it," Father Nightroad replied, his voice full of tension and then he darted down another hallway that would take him to Sister Kate's quarters. While he wanted nothing more than to help take the bastard down, someone had to make sure that Sister Kate was still alive. If she were, then they'd have to act quickly to save her. From the brief images they had seen in the meeting, there was no telling how much damage had been done to her body in the short amount of time it had taken to reach her.

Calmly Tres stepped over a fallen body and scanned the surrounding area. Based on the carnage it seemed as if his quarry had been toying with the inhabitants, slaughtering them at whim with no rhyme or reason to who was chosen. At the end of the hallway he could see what had to be a child of no more than ten dressed in a page's outfit. The best that he could tell, she'd been thrown against the wall after being speared. The blood stain trailing down the wall testified to the brutality of the attack. Yet the sight did nothing to set him on edge and he continued to analyze the situation calmly, looking for anything that might be amiss.

From the shadows Naraku watched the new comers with interest. That one of them had rushed off was of no surprise. He'd find the girl alive even if it was just barely and perhaps, if they acted quickly enough, they might even be able to save her pathetic life. Much of that would depend on her own natural abilities now that they weren't augmented with the powers of the Shikon.

Recognition of the newcomers came to him quickly although he had no actual knowledge of just who they actually were. The attire the redhead wore branded him a member of the church, most likely one of the AX members if memory served him correctly. _'How interesting, they certainly moved quickly enough. Perhaps I gave them less credit than they deserved if they were able to sense my presence so quickly.' _Most likely though it had been the bitch with the jewel that had alerted them,' Naraku mused. When he'd torn the jewel from her body it had spasmed uncontrollably with the pain and for the briefest of moments her eyes had fluttered open before she'd slipped back into the realms of unconsciousness.

The slightest whisper of noise had Tres pausing in his advance. While he hadn't seen anyone besides the victims running past, something told him that his prey was closer than he was being led to believe. That suspicion was quickly proven correct when he was hit with something solid in the back that knocked him back towards the far wall. Soon after, the sound of gunfire echoed through the hallway, his guns targeting the area he was certain he'd heard the noise from. Yet the bullets merely embedded in the wall, missing their target completely. "Show yourself," he commanded, keeping a watchful eye out for the slightest indication of the killer. Just because he couldn't get a visual did not mean that he was alone. For all he knew, this being could easily have an ability much like Father Havel's which allowed him to camouflage himself to blend in with his surroundings.

"And where would be the fun in that?" Naraku whispered, smirking when his opponent whirled to face him and fired a round point blank into his chest. It wouldn't have mattered if he weren't concealing himself in the shadow realm however, now that the jewel was in his possession being inflicted with such wounds were nothing more than minor annoyances. Indeed, the only reason he'd slipped into this realm a second time was because he wanted to toy with the humans who panicked like sheep when they learned they were under attack.

The second blow was anticipated by a whisper of movement through the air and Tres blocked it easily with his arm, countering with another round of gunfire. "What is your purpose for coming here?" he asked coldly. The man he was fighting was extremely brazen and there was a good chance he'd be happy to gloat about what he was attempting to accomplish. If so, they could put an end to whatever this man was planning.

"My purpose?" Naraku smirked at how clueless these fools truly were, "My purpose was to obtain the Shikon, nothing more. It's been so very amusing watching the power struggle between you humans and the vampires when the very item which would ensure your victory has been under your nose the entire time. Now; however, it's been taken out of your hands and I won't hesitate to use it. Soon you will all bow to my will." If he was expecting a startled reaction out of the priest he was mistaken. The only sign that he'd even registered what was said was a narrowing of those cold brown eyes.

"Negative, you will not be permitted to leave the premises alive," Tres replied flatly, unimpressed with the man's plans for world domination. While he'd never heard of the Shikon before, he filed the name away for later examination. It would be something that the Cardinal would need to be informed of so that steps could be taken to ensure its containment. If it was truly something so powerful, it could not be permitted to fall into enemy hands.

Hearing this had Naraku chuckling darkly, "You speak as if I'm going to allow you to kill me." With a surge of power he stepped out of the shadow realm, materializing in front of the priest. The reaction was immediate and expected, bullets riddled his body and tore at his clothing, but the damage that was done was minimal. "Fool," he spat, tired of playing with someone who obviously held no power over him. It wasn't even worthwhile to absorb the man; he couldn't detect even the slightest trace of holy energy within him. "Your pathetic weapon cannot harm me. Now die!"

The tentacle that erupted from Naraku's body caught Tres off guard and it struck him squarely in the chest. However, instead of sinking into flesh like Naraku had intended, it was stopped before any penetration was achieved. "I cannot comply with such an order," he replied before gripping the writhing appendage and ripping it off of his opponent's body, throwing it to the floor where it continued to writhe. It was clear the man was neither human nor vampire and while he wasn't sure what he was, Tres knew that since the man breathed, he could be killed.

"You're not even human, are you?" Naraku growled, irritated with his inability to realize the truth before now. No wonder the man had shown no emotion. Cybernetic organisms were programmed not to have such things; it got in the way of the duties they were expected to perform. However, it made dealing with this one troublesome since killing him was clearly out of the question. Was this one merely a distraction to keep him occupied until the others arrived? He had to admit it was a possibility and while he could easily handle anything they could throw at him now, he'd much rather consolidate his power and make one precise strike which would eliminate the ruling party in the Vatican. "Enough of this," he said and unleashed another wave of tentacles, knocking his opponent back against the wall, causing plaster to break and fall to the floor. As expected it didn't take long for the Priest to get back to his feet, but by the time that he'd done so, Naraku was already making his escape.

Had Tres been human he might have cursed at the way that the enemy seemingly vanished into thin air. But since he was not, he concentrated on training his sensors on the area, attempting to pick up on any signal that the man might be giving off, but there was nothing. It was like there was an invisible wall in place, surrounding his opponent and rendering him invisible to his sensors.

Without any means available to trail his quarry, Tres was left no recourse but to break off the pursuit. Seeing to Sister Kate was the next priority that had to be dealt with, there was no telling if the woman was even still alive at the present time. Turning away from the site of the confrontation, Tres began to make his way back to the room where he knew his team mate to be. Once inside he looked to his partner, "Status report, Father Nightroad."

"It's going to be touch and go," Father Nightroad replied, his expression tense with worry as he concentrated on the bleeding woman lying upon the bed. Blood soaked her gown and the sheets she laid upon, but fortunately he'd gotten to her in time to stop her from bleeding out completely. Right now he was thanking God that her personal physician had managed to escape the slaughter, otherwise there was a good chance they would have lost her. Without looking up from his work, he asked the question burning in his mind, "Did you get the person who did this?"

"Negative, the target escaped. Current mission priority is to see to Sister Kate's recovery," Tres replied and stared down at the work that the two men were doing. There was nothing that he could do to help; his programming was specifically for killing, not for healing. It was a given that Sister Kate would need to be relocated, but that couldn't happen until she was stable and as of now, the most he could do was stand guard over the room while they worked.

_Two weeks later_

Cardinal Caterina stared at the papers lying scattered across her desk and resisted the urge to give into the weariness that threatened to overwhelm her. While there was such a blatant threat to the city, she dared not rest and; as such, had been working relentlessly to uncover who had been responsible for attacking Sister Kate. Unfortunately little was known about the man, but there was one precious piece of information that Father Tres had managed to bring back and for that she was grateful. Right now that was the one thing dominating her thoughts, they had to know just how much of a threat this Shikon jewel was.

Unfortunately, finding knowledge of the artifact had proven to be extremely difficult and had been the cause for many headaches over the past several days. So much information had been lost in the Great War that had taken place and little about the jewel had been documented. Much of it had been passed down as legend and it had only been by sheer luck that Professor William Walter Wordsworth had obtained a scroll that told the tale. Even more fortunate was that he remembered he even had the blasted thing which was a miracle considering how disorganized he could be at times. If it hadn't been for that small piece of fortune they'd still be hunting for information without much success.

But what that scroll contained seemed almost too unrealistic to believe until she was forced to remember that until Armageddon had come to pass, vampires had been considered nothing more than fantasy. Wearily, Lady Caterina bit back a sigh and focused on the topmost paper again for what seemed to be the tenth time. She had to admit that the attacks that Father Tres had described sounded suspiciously like those supposedly held by the demon who had sought the jewel so many centuries ago. _'Naraku. Could it be that it is the same man? No, one cannot consider him human if this is to be believed. He would be a demon and a dangerous one at that.'_

If only they had more information. While the scroll was a blessing, it was greatly lacking in detail and had taken many days to translate. It had been said that this demon had been destroyed by the jewel's guardian, but clearly that hadn't been the case. Still, if the legend was to be believed then this demon could be killed, but how? Clearly Father Tres hadn't been able to eliminate the target, but he had been designed to target vampires, not demons which were clearly in a class all their own. Would Father Nightroad be any better? Honestly, she had no idea, but they had to start somewhere, didn't they?

_'There has to be a clue in this somewhere.' _The weapons during the time of the Shikon were primitive at best, limited to bows, swords, and crude versions of the firearms they used today. Suddenly it came to her, making her expression darken. _'The jewel's guardian was a priestess of immense power and this demon has been killing all those that display any traces of being blessed by God. That has to be the key to all this, but to date we've not seen anyone with the talent this woman was claimed to have held.' _Leaning back in her chair, the Duchess contemplated the problem. _'Perhaps as is typical of legends, they've grown with time and this woman was not as powerful as the legends would have us believe. We need to know more about this jewel before we can make a move.'_

But the only way to do that would be to observe this demon and watch just how he used the jewel's powers. Unfortunately, without knowing just where he was, that became an impossibility which put them back at square one. Softly she sighed and wished that the answer would come to her. It was becoming more difficult with each passing day to hold her brother back with his demands for action. Even he had to realize that they couldn't just attack when they had no idea where the demon was. Adding to it was the notion he had that this 'Naraku' had allied himself with the Methusela and it was a recipe for disaster.

"Are you having any luck," Father Nightroad asked, walking into the room and shutting it quietly behind him. While the Cardinal typically threw herself into her work, it was rare that he saw her so engrossed in it that she hadn't even heard his knock at the door. Not that he could blame her anyway; things were becoming even tenser with each passing day.

Shaking her head, Cardinal Caterina looked away from the paper for a moment to regard her friend, "We're back at square one I'm afraid. How is Sister Kate?" Guilt plagued her for a moment when she realized that she'd only been to see the woman once since she was brought into the city. Without the jewel that had been hidden within her body, Sister Kate didn't have the strength to project herself as strongly as she had been doing and as such, she was no longer able to command the Iron Maiden. That job had fallen onto the backup computer system that had been installed in case of such an emergency. It was a problem that the Professor was working on even as she sat here in her office, pouring over ancient history and lore.

"She's improving," Father Nightroad said after a moment and took a seat across from her, "the physicians believe that she'll make a recovery, but they're cautious. The question was posed if she would come out of the coma, but they're not of the opinion that it's even a possibility at this point in time." Without bothering to ask, he picked up one of the papers that had been lying unnoticed on the desk, "The legend, it sounds rather far fetched, doesn't it?"

"It does," Lady Caterina conceded, her voice thick with the doubt towards what the scroll contained, "but we cannot afford to discount it. You were one of the ones to translate the ancient text. What do you make of it?" Eagerly she awaited his answer because while many passed Father Nightroad over because he had such an easy going, unassuming manner about him, she knew that he was in fact very observant and not one to dismiss a possibility just because it sounded impossible.

"You're right, we cannot," Father Nightroad agreed quietly. Being a Crusnik gave one a different outlook on life that most people did not have. But then again, what would one expect when you yourself were one of those creatures that would be considered nothing more than a creature of legend and fantasy? Carefully he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and then set the paper down. He already knew what it contained; there was no need to look at it again. "I think," he began after a moment of silence, "that in order to defeat this enemy we're going to need to know more about his weaknesses. Much of the text was about how the Shikon was formed, not about the demon that held it and there's almost nothing concerning the battle that took it from him. We're going to need to hunt him down unless you prefer to wait for him to come to us. If those with holy powers have the ability to kill him, it's a certainty that he will strike again."

"Much the same as I was thinking which brings us back to where we were before. It's becoming more likely that he has been hiding in the Empire, although you're right. Sooner or later he will return to kill again and I'd rather not sit here wondering when he's going to strike," Caterina said firmly and leaned forward, resting her hands on the desk. They'd come too close already to losing one of their friends and hadn't been able to stop him. Who knew who his target would be the next time.

To that statement, Father Nightroad regarded her calmly, "I take it a trip to the Empire is in order then?" He didn't have to ask her who she thought would be next. Honestly, if they were going in terms of actual power, there were several high ranking officials that would be targeted next and he knew that she was likely to be one of them. However, Naraku would have to go through the entire AX team in order to get close enough to her in order to carry out his plans. None of them would allow her to come to harm while they still lived.

Slowly she nodded, "The Empress needs to be aware of the dangers that lurk within her kingdom, if nothing else, and she might have more knowledge about this jewel than we've been able to find. The team sent will have to be a small one however, I want information collected on this demon including where he's hiding if possible." Already plans were forming as to who should be sent, given the status of alert they'd been put under.

"If I might make a suggestion your Grace," Father Nightroad started, "I've been to the Empire once and established a rapport with the Empress. Send me and one other to gather the information you seek. The others will be needed here at the Vatican. While I do not believe he will attack again so quickly, we should be prepared for that eventuality." Although he couldn't say that he was looking forward to another trip, it was a necessary one and he was on good terms with a lot of the higher ranking Methusela in the Empire. That, if nothing else, would help him gain information that might not be forthcoming otherwise.

"Agreed, you're one of my choices for the team. Since there's a good chance that you'll be searching this demon out, I believe Father Iqus may be of use. I'll send word to the Empress to be expecting you, that way we won't run into any incidents like last time," she said without humor. They didn't need any more issues that could strain the relationship between the two kingdoms, the natural hatred between humans and vampires was enough on its own, and now they had Naraku compounding the problem.

"Understood, I can be ready to leave within the hour," Father Nightroad replied instantly. The sooner they resolved this problem the better and while he hated to be rushed, it couldn't be helped in this instance. There was no telling just how much damage that Naraku had managed to do in the amount of time that had passed since he'd acquired the jewel, but he had a sinking feeling that the demon hadn't been idle.

"See to it then, I'll leave it to you to inform Father Tres of the decision," Lady Caterina said and reached into a drawer to pull out the paperwork that he would need to present to the Empress, "and Abel? Be careful." The way he smiled at her made her long to shake him because he could singlehandedly get into more trouble than any other man she knew. Fortunately however, he also was adept at getting himself out of it as well. She only hoped that if trouble came that that particular skill wouldn't choose that point in time to desert him.

"Of course, your Grace," Father Abel said with the slightest of smiles and excused himself from the room. Closing the door softly behind him, he ventured out into the hallway with the task of finding his partner in mind. Packing wouldn't take very long at all since he usually had a suitcase ready to go in case of an emergency. Yet what he wasn't expecting was to see Tres and Vaclav to be heading his direction. Once they were within speaking distance he stopped, ready to relay their new orders, but Vaclav beat him to it.

"You appear to be a man on a mission Father, has Lady Caterina decided to send you to the Empire after all?" Vaclav asked quietly, mindful of the people who might be nearby and listening to the conversation. He'd seen the way that Caterina had been working herself and while he knew it was necessary, it was troublesome none the less. The woman had a mountain of responsibility and it looked as if she wasn't about to get a reprieve anytime soon.

"Indeed, it seems that Father Tres and I are to speak with the Empress. If our suspicions are correct, she might be able to endow us with some knowledge about the jewel, and where this demon might be hiding," Father Nightroad replied matter of factly. He wasn't about to mince words this time. Even though Caterina hadn't said much on it, he knew that she expected them to come back with something that would be useful against Naraku and he'd be damned if they didn't do just that.

For a moment Vaclav said nothing and stared at the door that the other man had just exited. Eventually though he broke the silence. "Perhaps," he said at last, "although something tells me that the Empress knows about as much as we do, you of all people know that she values the peace between human and Methusela. This will have been causing problems among her kingdom as well. I urge you to be cautious, there is likely to be much unrest, and your presence may not be well received by many of those consolidating power in these times of uncertainty."

"That's what I'm afraid of and why we'll need to work fast. This demon doesn't seem to discriminate between the two races, which makes him all the more dangerous. Tres, we leave within the hour. Lady Caterina is drawing up the paperwork for us now," Father Nightroad replied, knowing that Tres would be ready even before he himself was. There really wasn't even time to inform the others as to their departure, Caterina and Vaclav would have to be the ones to do that.

"Positive, I will meet you at the port," Tres said, waiting long enough to gain acknowledgment from his partner before turning and walking away from them both. Now that they had their mission orders they could begin resolving the issue. That Naraku had managed to escape him the first time was completely unacceptable, he would not allow Naraku to get away from him a second time.


	3. Chapter Three

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Another early update! Hopefully this chapter will answer some of the questions that have been posed in the reviews. If not, please be patient. The answers will be forthcoming in future chapters. _More character deaths are forthcoming in this chapter!_

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

_**Chapter Three**_

Naraku dropped the wolf demon's corpse at his feet and surveyed his handiwork with a malicious grin. _'If this isn't enough to get that stupid wolf prince's attention then there's nothing that will. Even he can't be so blind that he won't see this for the challenge it is. It'll be so much fun to see the fear in his eyes when he finally realizes that when he saw this body he was seeing his own fate.' _He'd waited centuries to be able to face his old foes again and at long last the time had come. There would be no more skulking about in the shadows, trying to avoid a confrontation that he wasn't necessarily prepared for. Now that he had the jewel, neither Kouga nor Sesshoumaru would be a match for him, although he was willing to bet they believed themselves to be. _''Come to me, you bastards, and finally learn what it is to be defeated by a worthy foe.'_

He looked down at the wolf carcass that he'd dropped at his feet in silent contemplation once more. While this particular wolf tribe meant nothing to Kouga, it would still get his attention. _''That one bitch I so graciously allowed to live had better manage to find that fool and tell him what happened or I'll have to rethink the gift that I gave her in the form of her pathetic life.' A _low growl escaped his lips as he thought back in distaste of the way the wolf bitch had finally cowered before him, urinating in submission. '_That action was better suited for a dog. Perhaps that's what will happen when I finally meet Sesshoumaru. Somehow that would seem fitting for the fool to act like that.' _An image flashed across his mind and stayed there as if the future was taunting him. Kouga stood mocking him, as if making sure that he remembered that it was he who had been responsible for his previous defeat so many centuries ago and his ki flared dramatically in response to the vision. His voice rasped out as a low whisper, "Today is the day of your demise, Kouga."

The only unknown factor was whether or not Lord Sesshoumaru would be anywhere nearby. While it seemed unlikely that the two would be seen anywhere near each other, Naraku was well aware of the fact that the two had united in the common goal to destroy him and it was something he was counting on. It saved him the trouble of hunting the dog demon down, and if he were to be honest, Sesshoumaru was too tempting to pass up. There was no such thing as too much power and Naraku was only too happy to take advantage of the opportunity to expand his own abilities. Once before he'd had the chance to absorb Sesshoumaru, but he'd been interrupted by that pathetic hanyou, but now, with Inuyasha dead there would be no further interruptions.

Patiently, Naraku waited for his opponent to make an appearance while the wind whipped and tugged at his clothing. The coppery scent of the dead beast's blood filled the air and fanned out, drifting outwards wherever the breeze would carry it. Its tantalizing aroma was sure to quickly bring in any demons that happened to be lingering in the area and even more from further out as the forces of nature did their work. _'Or perhaps a vampire will come to investigate; those fools are always so quick to join a feast when they catch the scent of one.'_ Either possibility was appealing since Naraku found that the vampires were an adequate source of sustenance for one such as him. While their power wasn't up to par with a demon's, it was far preferable to that of the lowly humans that they feasted upon.

Naraku's lips turned upwards into a feral smile as he felt the surge of power build and coalescing at the edge of his sense. There was no mistaking the energy signature of the demon that was laced through is as the demon that he had been waiting for so long to be able to confront headed in his direction. This time there would be no fear, he would welcome this meeting with relish and open arms. _'There you are. It's been a long time, Prince Kouga.'_ Resolutely he began walking down the path on a collision course with destiny, ready to eliminate the final true obstacles in his bid for ultimate power. Naraku didn't have far to travel, however, since in his rage the wolf demon had advanced on him with a speed that was reminiscent of having the jewel shards in his legs.

It'd almost been too hard to believe, but the moment that he'd smelt the scent of freshly spilled blood with Naraku's horrible stench he'd taken off running. Now, with his mortal enemy standing before him, Kouga couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction. The bastard had been allowed to live for far too long, but that was something that he was going to remedy in just a moment.

"It's been a long time, you bastard," Kouga said, echoing Naraku's earlier thoughts.

"Indeed it has, Prince Kouga. I was wondering how long it would take you to show up, assuming that you extended the effort that it obviously took you to get here at all." Naraku's voice had the texture of smooth velvet and he pretended to study his fingernails, acting for all the world as if it hadn't mattered to him one way or another, "I had begun to think that my continued existence no longer concerned you, but now that I think on it, I suppose that it would be natural for you to forget about me. Our conflict was so long ago that I had supposed your pathetic memory had failed you in your old age."

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I'd forget what you've done you bastard. Just save your stinking breath, I'm not the one that's been hiding all these years, you coward," Kouga snarled and cracked his knuckles, his features contorting in rage. It had come as a shock to find out that Naraku hadn't actually died so many years ago, but once he'd known the truth he'd trained hard, having made up his mind that the battle would be fought for the last time if ever he could find the other demon once again. He'd waited a long time for this and he wasn't about to back down now, "I'm going to make sure that you pay for every life that you ended and every heartache that you ever caused. By the time I'm done with you you'll wish you had never been born."

Naraku arched an eyebrow in seemingly disbelief and he gave a short burst of incredulous laughter. "Surely you can't possibly be referring to those fools who had made up that pathetic pack of yours? It's so much more likely that you should be thanking me for ridding you of such parasitic ridden creatures." The question and insults brought the expected growl of anger, quickly followed by the wolf demon lunging for him, but Naraku vanished from his line of sight before the fist could make contact, "Or are you thinking of the miko who was so foolish to believe that someone like herself could defeat someone of such great stature and power as me?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as Kouga registered the fact that his fist had failed to connect with the demon's face and there was no satisfying crunch of breaking bone. "You bastard," he snarled and lunged for Naraku a second time, "Take your pick; you're going to pay for them all. But most of all for Kagome, only a coward like you would attack a defenseless woman." It had torn his heart out upon hearing that she'd died at Naraku's hands when there was no one there to protect her. For years he'd been forced to wait and wonder why the well had sealed, leaving her unable to return as he'd hoped. And then he'd learned that she'd died shortly after returning to her own time had been a painful blow. To this day he still blamed himself for not being there for her.

"Defenseless?" Naraku sneered at that very thought and deflected the kick that had been aiming for his head, "You seem to forget it was that bitch that plunged her fist into my chest and nearly killed me. But even that wasn't enough and she paid for it in blood, screaming in pain after she'd watched me destroy the same family she left _you_ for."

The look of pain upon hearing the hateful words that immediately crossed Kouga's face was immensely satisfying to Naraku, but it wasn't nearly enough. "Do you want to know the truly amusing part, wolf prince?" A snarl was his only answer, but that didn't dissuade Naraku in the least, if anything it pushed him to add more emphasis to his words "She died believing that I'd never find the jewel, that her wish had destroyed any chance of me reclaiming it. But she was wrong and I bet even now her soul is wracked with the guilt of knowing that she failed, just as Kikyo did. It's just another example of how they're alike, don't you think?"

"I don't know what the fuck you think you're going on about Naraku, but that cursed jewel was destroyed. We all watched it happen and even though you've somehow managed to kill her, you've still lost," Kouga's voice was full of certainty now as well as hard anger. "And you're wrong, I'm happy to tell you. While they might have shared the same soul, Kagome was nothing like that sick tainted memory that you'd set your sights on. Enough of this bullshit though, start fighting, Naraku. You'll find I'm not as easy an opponent as an unarmed woman."

That had been exactly the outburst that Naraku had been expecting and he didn't bother to hold back his laughter which only served to piss the wolf demon off further. If he hadn't had the jewel in his possession he might well have fallen prey to Kouga's vicious attacks, but as it was, the other male was of no match for him. A surge of power exploded from his body and knocked the wolf back although he wasn't down for long. It was enough of an opportunity however for Naraku to reach into his shirt and pull the Shikon out of its confines.

"If the bitch was so successful, Kouga, then how do I have the jewel in my possession yet again?" he purred, relishing the look of astonishment that crossed Kouga's face, "I believe you've got your facts wrong."

His surprise didn't last long however, "Just what the fuck are you trying to pull here, Naraku?" Was it possible that the damned jewel really had come back or was it a counterfeit like the bastard had attempted centuries ago? '_Shit, this isn't good. Even the Goraishi claw didn't have any effect on Naraku when he had the damned thing before.' _This development put an entire new spin on things and he was undecided in what he should do. To press an attack now might be suicidal, but could he really take the chance that the other demon was telling the truth?

"Surprised, Kouga? You should be. It was difficult to locate after it disappeared, but you can see that my years of searching have not been in vain. Now at last it's mine again and I took great pleasure out of ripping it away from its current guardian. Yet another habit she seems to have fallen into," Naraku said, taunting the other demon and hoping that it would goad him into making a reckless move. He wasn't about to tell him that the woman had not been Kagome's reincarnation, not when it would spoil his fun. Those words seemed to be the deciding factor in whatever decision Kouga was attempting to make and with a cry of fury, the wolf demon sprung forward, uncaring of the danger he was so obviously throwing himself into.

The thought that Naraku could have possibly attacked Kagome again, even if it would have been her reincarnation was just too much for Kouga to tolerate and his scream of fury filled the air, "I'll kill you, you bastard!" Despite the fact that the weapon had never worked against the other demon, Kouga called forth the Goraishi claws and struck out against his enemy. Rage blinded him to everything but the demon before him and he was determined that Naraku would die this time, even if it meant giving up his own life in the process. A grim smirk crossed his face when a blow actually landed and blood dripped from the wound that formed on Naraku's face, "There's more where that's coming from, I'm going to make sure that you're begging for me to kill you by the time I'm done with you."

"If you weren't able to accomplish that while you were in a group," Naraku sneered in disdain, "what makes you think you could possibly be anywhere strong enough to succeed this time? Most especially from what I can see, you're completely alone." The slight wound had healed almost instantly, but it was infuriating that the fool had managed to score a hit in the first place, much less so quickly. The time for playing around was over and it was time to get serious. Quickly he tapped into the power of the jewel, allowing it to flow through his body in a rush that left him breathless for a matter of moments before he adjusted to the invigorating sensation.

"Shit," The word barely had time to leave his lips before Kouga was forced to leap into the air. Now that Naraku was actually tapping into the jewel he could feel the raw energy bleeding off of the damned thing. The power he could feel pouring off of it was immense and it left little doubt in his mind that it was in fact the Shikon. For that alone he knew that he was in trouble. Tentacles suddenly erupted from the ground beneath him and it was all he could do to keep from becoming ensnared in them. _'Where the fuck is that old dog when I need him?'_ He knew that as long as he was alone the odds were stacked against him and he could only hope that Sesshoumaru was close enough that he could feel the power that was being unleashed. Unfortunately, he also knew how unlikely that happened to be, but still... he could hope. _'Damn, I sure as hell hope he comes to see what the fuck is happening.' _As of now he was completely defensive and without interference, this battle wasn't likely to last long. Still, that didn't mean he was going to give up. Carefully he waited for an opening, a break in the tentacles which would allow him to attack and when it presented itself, he took it.

_'The fool, how has he managed to survive this long?' _Somehow Naraku had expected more out of this particular opponent, but unfortunately he was proving to be entirely too easy to manipulate. For now he maintained the gap in the appendages which had barred the wolf the opportunity to attack and allowed the other male to slip through.

He took the opportunity that he created once Kouga came close enough. With a laugh of triumph, he closed the trap around the fighting crazed demon. With so many barriers in the way, there was no chance for the wolf demon to avoid the attack that slammed into him. Blood gushed from the multiple wounds that had been created by the tentacles swarming around him, pinning the dark haired male to the ground.

"Too easy," Naraku purred, looming over the stunned fallen male. The intense struggle taking place only caused him to smile victoriously; it was obvious the wolf knew what was coming next.

"Let me go," Kouga panted, attempting to break the hold that kept him pinned to the ground. There was no way that he could hope for a clean death, Naraku was too much of a bastard to grant him that much. Instead the other demon would absorb him, using his own body and powers to further his bid for power. The very thought was repulsive, but it didn't seem like he was going to have much of a choice in the matter. Ruthlessly he ripped one of the tentacles free, biting back a scream of pain. He'd suffered far worse injuries than that little shoulder wound in his lifetime and this wasn't the moment to be worrying about such a triviality. Before he could do anything to capitalize on the slight bit of freedom, another appendage had wrapped around his body, growing in size and threatening to consume him.

Eagerly Naraku fed more energy into the mass surrounding the wolf demon and it was only once he was totally engulfed did the struggling cease completely. Content that he had won, Naraku closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the rush of foreign energy that was making itself whole within his body. While it wasn't anywhere near the power of some of the beings he'd consumed, it was far better than the majority of his victims had been lately and the satisfaction he felt at knowing he had conquered an old arch rival made the victory all that much more sweet.

_Three Days Later_

Sesshoumaru stared out at the darkening sky, his expression completely neutral, as was the norm although the vaguest trace of unease had been following him for the past couple of days. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the peace and quiet in the office for the past few days, he'd been grateful for it, but he couldn't help wondering what was keeping Kouga from making contact this time. The wolf had been only too happy to look into the rumors that Naraku had resurfaced again, this time in Austria. _'Most likely he's still chasing after the rumors and hasn't thought to contact me, how typical.' _At this rate there was a good chance that it would be another week before the fool checked in and then it would be to bitch that they hadn't turned out to be anything to get worked up over.

Sometimes he wondered just why he continued to put up with Kouga before he remembered that the wolf was good at doing menial tasks. If nothing else it kept his own time free so he was able to worry about the important issues that came up. While finding Naraku was a pressing concern, they'd only caught the faintest of traces of him over the past thousand years. If it hadn't been for the fact that the miko had been targeted immediately upon returning to her own time, he would have brushed it off as mere speculation and not given it a second thought.

While he was still angry with Naraku, time had a way of forcing him to focus on other things, and normally he didn't spare the demon a second thought since he'd managed to conceal himself for so long, it was in question if he was even still alive. Kouga on the other hand hadn't let any of his anger go, but to be honest Sesshoumaru didn't fault the wolf demon for that. _No, I don't blame him. When so much of your life was destroyed by one person, grudges could easily span millennia.' _Sesshoumaru pursed his lips, really if he had anything to be angry about now it was the fact that one of his brightest employees had chosen to remain in Japan despite the fact that it was a veritable wasteland. After the Great War, it had been pointless to even attempt to rebuild, not when the majority of civilization had colonized throughout Europe.

Then again, perhaps Shippo had been right to remain behind. Returning to the life he'd once led had tempted Sesshoumaru one too many times and there was an appeal to telling all these business clients he'd picked up over the years to go to hell. _'This is getting me nowhere.' _Knowing that it was true had him turning back towards the house. At least he could keep himself busy with paperwork; he had that new client to deal with after all.

A familiar voice stopped him from taking more than a couple of steps towards the house. _'Speak of the devil; it seems that I spoke too soon.' _Just past the gate to the estate a certain wolf demon was walking towards him. From this distance he couldn't tell that much about the man's attitude, but his posture was rather stiff. It could mean anything from having found nothing but false rumors, or arriving just a bit too late. Either way, Sesshoumaru wasn't entirely certain he wanted to know. But still he waited until the wolf demon was within easy conversation range before speaking. "Well, what did you find?"

It was difficult to keep the smug expression from his face, but Naraku was a master of disguise. Once he'd completely subdued Kouga it was easy to mimic his appearance and keep the power levels consistent. Unless Lord Sesshoumaru had improved considerably over the years, it wasn't likely he'd be able to see through the disguise. Shrugging his shoulders, he answered the taller demon, "I didn't see him myself, but I saw all the proof I needed to know that bastard is back."

"And what proof is acceptable without laying eyes on him? Honestly, Kouga, I thought you would be more careful then that." Sesshoumaru arched a delicate brow in the other demon's direction. The wind brought the scent of Naraku towards him, but it was so muddled with other scents it was hard to tell just how strong it was. The pervading scent was that of wolves and blood, leaving Sesshoumaru to wonder just what the hell had happened.

"He took out one of the packs on the Austrian border. I got there a little too late though. Everyone with the exception of one of the bitches was dead, but there was no mistaking his scent, nor the way that he'd killed them," he ground out and stared out into the distance. _'Let Sesshoumaru believe that it's concern over the dead if he wishes. Soon he will join them.' _Narrowing his eyes, he cast a glance over towards the dog demon, "He has the Shikon again. Was it a rumor you brushed off or had your spies not picked up on that information yet?"

For a moment Sesshoumaru's eyes widened before he shook his head emphatically, "The Shikon is gone, you witnessed its destruction yourself. What proof do you have that it still exists if you have not seen him for yourself?" If the jewel had returned all hell was sure to break loose, but he still wasn't willing to accept the possibility as fact without any concrete proof.

"Because I felt the damned thing, but I was too far away to get there before he used it," the wolf demon growled in annoyance at being questioned. "We need to go after this bastard or he's going to come to us. He isn't going to be happy with dominating some remote forest this time and you know it as well as I do." At least that much was the truth; by the time he was finished, Naraku fully intended to have humans, demons and vampires all bending to his will.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes for a moment, considering the angles and debating what their next move should be. Something didn't feel right, but until he had more information he wouldn't be able to pinpoint exactly what it was. Regardless, Shippo would need to be alerted, that much was certain. There was also the business to consider since this was likely to take months to resolve.

"Jaken," he called out, knowing that the toad was lurking somewhere nearby. It had become a rather annoying habit that the retainer had taken to lurking, but it also assured that he could almost always be found just waiting for an order that could make him useful.

"Yes M'lord?" Jaken inquired, stepping into view and away from a nearby tree. He'd been listening to the entire conversation and it chilled him to the bone. Something seemed... off about Prince Kouga, but he couldn't pinpoint just what it was. But he knew that if he were to say something, he was likely to be kicked across the field for opening his mouth. It'd happened too many times before for him to ignore the possibility.

"Call Shippo and inform him of this latest development. There's a chance that he may be needed if Naraku has indeed acquired the Shikon. Inform the board of directors that I will be indisposed for the next month. I trust that you'll be able to handle things while I am gone," Sesshoumaru intoned quietly, his expression conveying just what would happen should the toad fail to do as he'd ordered. While he could take care of those things on his own, if it was Naraku then it would be best to return to the scene as quickly as possible before any traces of him disappeared.

"Right away, M'lord," Jaken replied and hurried towards the house to do as he'd been commanded. This wasn't the first time that he'd been put in charge of things so he was well aware of the duties he'd be expected to fulfill. Still, he wasn't looking forward to speaking with the kitsune. One thousand years had passed and the brat was still an impertinent handful to deal with.

Naraku watched the toad scamper off and longed to follow after, just to take pleasure in ending the fool's life, but he had bigger prey to content himself with. He was nothing if not patient, but when dealing with Sesshoumaru, there were additional problems to consider, namely the Tenseiga. Should the taller demon get his hands on the sword it would be pointless to fight him for the blade would keep its Master alive under the most extreme of circumstances. In this instance he had to take the other male out before that could happen. "So are you going to get changed or are you going to run around looking like a suit that's gotten lost in the woods?"

"You are not indispensable. Remember that, Kouga," Sesshoumaru warned the other demon before turning to walk back towards the house. There was no way in hell he was about to traipse about in these modern clothes while looking for a demon that should have been killed years before. The clothing he'd worn back in the feudal era was more suited to that sort of travel and he needed his swords as well.

It was at the moment that Sesshoumaru's back was turned that Naraku launched his attack, hoping to use the man's trust in the wolf to his advantage. The dog demon was a vicious opponent at the best of times and even though Naraku had the jewel at his disposal, he wasn't about to take any chances. As his feet left the ground he allowed his true form to come through and formed a blade in his hand constructed of the armor protecting his body. Yet the taller male was faster than he remembered and the sword cleaved nothing but a few stands of silver hair.

Before Sesshoumaru's feet touched the ground, he'd formed his whip and was arced towards the imposter's head. He should have known that it was Naraku disguising himself as Kouga, the fool was being entirely too polite for the way that he'd normally acted and he'd only had to threaten him once. So it begged the question of just where the wolf was. While he had a good idea, he had to be certain, "Where is Kouga?"

"Oh he's here, don't worry about that," Naraku said maliciously, grinning when the whip slid off of his barrier without leaving so much as a scratch.

Without the swords, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be able to break through the barrier and there was no way in hell he was going to allow the man close enough to the house to get them. In fact, the dog demon was attempting to drive him in a direction of his own choosing, but that wasn't something he was going to let slide. Instead he allowed a film of miasma to fill the air, it would only be a matter of time until his opponent was forced to flee deeper into the forest and away from the house or suffocate on the poison.

"How does it feel?" Naraku mocked the taller male, "If you'd been a little more diligent you could have prevented this from ever happening, but it was never important enough. Soon, you will join your friend and then no one can stop me."

"But there is no honor in hunting down a weak, pathetic coward, Naraku. If you were smart you would have never shown your face again," Sesshoumaru said and directed a wave of poison towards the barrier. While the attack hadn't worked in the past, he'd gotten considerably stronger over the years. He wouldn't be the easy mark that Naraku was hoping for.

"And you should have stayed well out of my affairs," Naraku snarled towards the dog demon. The barrier remained firmly in place, just as he'd expected, but the poison was slowly dripping down the sides and destroying the grass it made contact with. Angrily he extended his hand and allowed a beam of energy to shoot through the barrier although as predicted, the demon avoided it easily enough. But he wasn't one to give up either and the attack only served to thicken the miasma blanketing the battlefield. When Sesshoumaru breezed past him in an effort to get clear of the poison, Naraku followed, using the Shikon's power to increase his own speed.

Quickly Sesshoumaru worked his way deeper into the forest, seeking cover amongst the trees. With luck he'd be able to confuse Naraku long enough to work his way back towards the house. Once he had the Tenseiga in hand he'd be able to use the Meidou and end the fight quickly. However, the tactic was working against him because he'd forgotten that Naraku had the ability to utilize illusions as well and it was making it nearly impossible to make any progress. _'I have no choice but to change plans. Very well, so be it.' _With deadly precision he lashed out with his whip, felling the trees that blocked his path and began making his way back towards the house with Naraku following closely behind him.

With the house nearing so quickly, Naraku could see that offensive servant rushing around like the world was going to end. That in itself wasn't necessarily a cause for concern, but the sword in its slimy hands was. It was official, once he finished with his Master, that pathetic demon was next on his list. Determined to stop Sesshoumaru from reaching his goal, Naraku closed his eyes and used his abilities to teleport directly in front of the dog demon. Just as he'd planned, the other male's momentum was far too great to stop completely and the blade he'd created earlier pierced Sesshoumaru's chest. With a malicious grin Naraku twisted it, tearing at his enemy's flesh.

"So close, yet so far away," Naraku whispered menacingly to the demon he held. A growl filled the air as his enemy attempted to claw his way through the shield that protected him, but it was a futile attempt. Without pulling the blade free, Naraku readied his free hand and stared deeply into those cold amber eyes. He had only a matter of moments before the transformation began and Sesshoumaru's survival instincts took control. While it could be amusing to hack the rest of the legs off of the overgrown dog, it would be a waste of time, so instead he thrust his fist forward, driving it into the man's chest and ripped his still beating heart out. While it was regrettable that he had to give up the power boost the other male would have offered, being able to look into his eyes while he died made it worthwhile.

"Just like it was with your brother," he said with a chuckle and threw the corpse to the ground.

"M'lord!" Jaken squeaked in fear, seeing his Master fall. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword and he stared with a mixture of fear and revulsion at the demon responsible. He longed to have his staff at hand so he could attack Naraku for the atrocity that he'd just committed, but he didn't and the sword would not obey him even if he were strong enough to wield it. Now he was reduced to watching as the demon advanced upon him and he could only take comfort in knowing that he would soon join his lord in death.

The quivering toad squawked when Naraku approached and he grimaced in disgust smelling the foul odor Jaken gave off. Now that Sesshoumaru was dead he probably wouldn't have even bothered with the coward, but there was something he wanted. "Do you wish to live, you pathetic excuse for a demon?" he whispered quietly and waited to see just what the toad would say.

"Just what are you getting at, Naraku? You'd better kill me now because if you don't I'll make sure you pay for killing my lord," Jaken yelled angrily at the taller demon. While he had no idea just how he'd manage to get revenge on the man; that wouldn't stop him from trying. Angrily his stubby fingers clutched tighter around the hilt of the sword he held as if it were a life line. _'If only I could use the sword. Lord Sesshoumaru would rise again and destroy Naraku! But I can't... Oh M'lord, why did you have to leave me to face this alone?'_

"How amusing, you really think that _you_ can stand against _me_," Naraku asked with a malicious smile. At first he'd been considering allowing Jaken to live, provided that he handed over the Tenseiga, but now, he might just have to kill him out of principle.

"Give me the Tenseiga," he ordered quietly although his tone brooked no room for argument, "This will complete my collection. After all, the Tetsusaiga deserves to have her sister at her side."

"Absolutely not," Jaken refused and backed up several steps in an effort to put some distance between himself and Naraku. There was no way that he would be responsible for handing over the sword to his lord's enemy, the only way he'd ever get his hands on it was to kill him first. Of course, he also knew that Naraku would have no qualms about doing such a thing, but at least he could go to his eternal rest knowing that he'd done everything in his power to stop it.

The toad's refusal came as no surprise and Naraku felt no remorse for what he was about to do. Slowly he extended his hand and allowed his youki to swirl along the surface, preparing to incinerate Jaken in one quick burst of energy.

"Then die," Naraku whispered and unleashed the power, smirking in satisfaction as it raced towards his prey. Yet when a barrier suddenly sprang up around his target, he snarled in anger, "Impossible. With Sesshoumaru dead its powers should become dormant!"

"It serves you right! The Tenseiga will never be handled by the likes of you," Jaken spat out, feeling braver now that a barrier was protecting him. They'd always known the sword had a mind of its own and he was just thankful that it had seen him worthy of protection.

"You wretched fool," Naraku growled, his eyes narrowed in frustration. The energy he'd unleashed had done nothing more than skim over the barrier and dissipate into nothingness. While he had no doubts that he could use the jewel's power to destroy the barrier, was it even worth the trouble? "Fine, you may keep the sword, for now," he replied and turned his back to the toad, "it's useless to you anyway. It's not like you or anyone else will wield it to bring him back and sooner or later it'll realize your existence is useless. When it ceases to protect you there will be nothing for you to look forward to beyond becoming food. Although I don't know of any creature that could stomach something like you."

There was little that Jaken could do beyond watch the other demon leave, even though he still wasn't sure just what had made the man stop. With the jewel he might well have been able to bypass the Tenseiga's protection so there had to be some pressing reason behind the way he'd left. A shudder raced through his body thinking about what that reason could possibly be, suddenly he had no desire to find out. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and contemplated his next move. Sesshoumaru's body would need to be taken care of, but at the same time, there was another that needed to know about Naraku's return. He had to consider the probability that Shippo would be targeted next.

_At the remains of the Higurashi Shrine_

It was nights like this that Shippo found his mind wandering the most, turning back to the times when the group roamed the wilds of the feudal era. Although most wouldn't have realized it, those had been in fact some of the happier times in his life, if one could look past the fact that his father had died then. Many times he wished that they could have stayed there forever, but it was a foolish dream and he'd been forced to realize that nothing would be the same again.

That much was apparent just by looking at their surroundings. Time hadn't been kind to the shrine and now all that remained was the Goshinboku and a few weather worn stones where a building once stood. Not even the torii remained to mark the entrance, but that hadn't surprised him somehow. The war had taken its toll on the entire country and he was still amazed that the ancient tree had even survived.

Slowly he took a deep breath and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, taking comfort from the soothing energy it gave off. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the one constant through the stream of time, he really wasn't certain, but he was thankful for its presence nonetheless. Many times Sesshoumaru had asked why he chooses to remain in a place that harbored so many bad memories, but the truth was he couldn't just let it go. If the old dog wanted to think he was crazy that was fine with him, but it wouldn't change his mind. Guilt still plagued him for being unable to stop the massacre that had happened here so many centuries ago and this was his way of atoning for that crime.

A soft sigh reached his ears, pulling Shippo out of his moment of reflection. When he turned his gaze on the translucent form sitting nearby, his expression turned to one of concern, "You seem troubled. What's wrong?"

Kagome turned sorrowful eyes on her longtime friend, unsure of how to answer him, "Something is wrong, I can feel it." She could see his expression immediately turn to one of alarm and she wished that she could reassure him that it was nothing. But over the years they'd learned to heed the warning when she got a feeling of unease. It had been those instincts that had protected her close friends when Armageddon had come to pass, even if it had been difficult for Shippo to persuade Sesshoumaru that it was fast approaching. Of course, who would want to heed the warning of a ghost that they couldn't even see? Shippo alone had that ability, and sometimes she wished that it wasn't so.Would he have gone on with his own life if he were unaware that her spirit still walked the Earth, unable to pass on into the afterlife?

"How bad is it?" Shippo asked carefully, needing to know if there was any sort of preparations that he should be making. He couldn't imagine what could possibly be going wrong this time, but he'd learned not to ignore her warnings. The breeze had suddenly taken an ominous feeling and Shippo could feel his hair trying to stand on end.

Taking a moment to concentrate, Kagome focused her mind inward and attempted to discern just what was bothering her. But she wasn't expecting the wave of evil to wash over her soul. Had she been in possession of a physical body the sheer malevolence would have left her breathless and trembling.

"It's bad, very bad. You need to call Sesshoumaru and see if he knows what's going on," she whispered, trying to shake off the aftereffects of the soul searching she'd just done. She hadn't felt anything this terrible since the war and before that, Naraku as he tortured her family. But even that didn't compare to what she'd just experienced, it was just too powerful.

That had the kitsune bolting upright, his eyes widening considerably. It was rare that she asked him to contact the dog demon, simply because she knew how strained their partnership was since Shippo had decided to remain with her. In fact, she was well aware that if it had been possible for Sesshoumaru to torture her in this form, he probably would have done so for the headaches she'd caused him.

A curse fell from Shippo's lips as he went to grab his phone. Now he was thanking Kouga for insisting that he keep it with him at all times. At first he'd argued it was worthless since all the communication towers had come down a long time ago, but then the wolf had so thoughtfully pointed out that was what satellites were for.

"What the hell?" He groused when his fingers closed around the slim device and it rang almost immediately. Curiously he gazed at the caller ID and then whistled, "Speak of the devil." Immediately he pressed the talk button and moved it to his ear, "I was just about to call you. What's going on?"

However, the voice on the other end was not the one that he'd been expecting and immediately his brow furrowed, "Jaken? What the hell? Slow down, I can't understand a word that you're saying."

The feeling of dread intensified while listening to the toad continue to babble incoherently. While Jaken was prone to overreacting, it would have to be something serious to throw the little demon into this sort of state. Yet he was able to pick up on a couple of words and they froze his heart. Any sentence with Naraku and the Shikon in it was a cause for concern.

"Enough!" he shouted into the phone and immediately received a moment of quiet, "now, tell me what happened and speak slowly. Better yet, put Sesshoumaru on the phone and he can tell me what the hell is going on." The next words that he heard were whispered and at first Shippo couldn't believe that he'd heard them correctly.

"This is a joke right? You'd better be joking," Shippo replied flatly into the phone, "there's no way in hell Sesshoumaru is dead." Hell, he was beginning to believe that damned dog was immortal. The idea of that particular demon dying was unfathomable. Yet the 'just kidding' he'd been hoping for never came. "How the hell did that happen?"

Kagome could only stare at her friend helplessly, unsure of what to do or say. Was that what she had felt? Sesshoumaru's passing could indeed be seen as a disastrous event, especially considering how much work he continually put into keeping both the humans and vampires from realizing that demons even existed. Slowly she closed her eyes and sent a brief prayer after the man's spirit. While there was certainly no love lost between them, she didn't hate the demon and if a prayer would cause the Gods to look more favorably upon him, she would gladly do it.

Swallowing hard, Shippo turned to stare helplessly at Kagome. "I'll tell her," he whispered and then hung up the phone, not caring that Jaken had still been speaking. _'How the hell did this happen? The Shikon was destroyed; I saw it with my own eyes. How could Naraku have gotten his hands on it after all this time?' _Unfortunately he couldn't deny the truth of what he'd heard, no matter how much he wanted to.

Even though Kagome was sure that she didn't want to know, she needed to find out what had put that look of horror on her friend's face. "What is it, Shippo?" she asked quietly. Perhaps Sesshoumaru's death had hit him harder than she had thought it would. Those two had become fairly close over the years, although if you didn't know them well you would have never have guessed it.

Sighing heavily, Shippo ran a hand through his hair and tried to find the right words, "Damn, I wish I knew an easy way of saying this." He couldn't imagine how Kagome was going to feel knowing that not only had she been unable to destroy Naraku, but she'd failed in banishing the jewel as well. In the end her death had meant absolutely nothing, and now she'd be unable to stop the carnage that was sure to follow. "Look," he said after a moment, he couldn't just put it off and act as if nothing had happened. "We all know that Naraku survived, but we've got another larger problem. The jewel, it's come back."

"That's... that's not possible," Kagome objected vehemently to the declaration. She'd made the wish and seen the jewel disappear. There's no way it could come back, could it? The very idea was unbelievable, why would Kikyo assume a wish would destroy it if it weren't true? But as she stared into Shippo's sorrowful eyes, she knew that he was speaking the truth. Somehow the Shikon had returned. "Where is it?" she whispered sadly. Perhaps if they could find it in time, they'd be able to secure it someplace safe where Naraku couldn't get his hands on it.

"It's already in Naraku's possession," Shippo replied quietly, "he's already killed both Sesshoumaru and Kouga with its power." It went unspoken that he was the only one left from the original group, but he knew that power wise he wasn't a match for Naraku. If both Sesshoumaru and Kouga could fall so easily, he wasn't going to delude himself into thinking he had a chance to defeat him. The only one who had that power had been killed centuries before and in her present form was virtually useless in a fight.

"Both of them?" Kagome stared at her friend in horror, trying to grasp just how things could have gone so terribly wrong, "We have to do something!"

"Like what?" Shippo asked bitterly, despite knowing that Kagome's conscience wouldn't allow her to sit by and watch what was happening. Angrily he punched the ground. All this time he'd deluded himself into believing that even if Naraku was alive, he wouldn't be able to cause the destruction that he'd wrought once before. Angrily he stared at the night sky, wracking his brain for anything that might work. "You know damned well I can't stop him and you're dead. What possible difference are we going to make?"

"That's enough," Kagome snapped at him, "I'm well aware of the fact that I'm dead, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit on my ass and let Naraku do as he damned well pleases. What are you going to do? Sit here and wait for him to come to you? You know he won't just forget and leave you alive!" As much as she hated speaking to him like this, it had to be done. Every word she'd spoken was the truth, and sooner or later, Naraku would come to exact his revenge on the kitsune. Just the fact that he'd been there throughout the ordeal made Shippo a target and Kagome refused to sit by and watch him die.

An uneasy silence stretched out between them then and instantly Shippo felt guilty for reminding Kagome of her predicament. He couldn't blame her for this, she'd done exactly what they'd believed would end the problem. It wasn't her fault that it hadn't been enough. But knowing this still didn't solve the problem and without a miko of considerable abilities to help out, all hope was lost. They couldn't even count on a reincarnation this time because Kagome's spirit had been tied to the shrine due to the horrific circumstances behind her death and the unfinished business that she'd been forced to leave behind.

"This is where I wish you could actually possess someone. You need a damned body if we're to have a chance of stopping him this time," Shippo complained bitterly.

Kagome laid a hand on his shoulder, but the kitsune showed no signs of acknowledging the gesture, nor would he have. There were no physical sensations to accompany the slight touch, and for that, she sighed, "You know that's not possible Shippo. As much as we've managed to accomplish over the years, you yourself know that a possession of the sort you're referring to is impossible. We'd need another way. Surely there's some technology that can help us. You helped to pave the way for cybernetic engineering. Can't you think of anything?"

"Kagome," Shippo sighed heavily, "I left that life a long time ago, remember?" There was no way that he could say whether or not the technology still existed. Sure, the humans had colonized Mars and perfected the science of creating the cybernetic organisms like he'd once hoped to be a part of. But he'd been living in seclusion for centuries now, remaining with Kagome so she no longer had to be alone. How was he to know whether or not they could reincarnate Kagome with all of her memories intact?

"But you still have contacts," she replied earnestly. If anyone could solve the problem then, it was the demon in front of her now. She'd place all of her trust in him and together they'd do what was necessary to stop Naraku. "Please, Shippo, we can't just let him come for you," she said quietly.

"You're right," Shippo agreed, giving up like that just wasn't acceptable. If he did, Inuyasha's spirit would likely come back from wherever it had gone to just to kick his ass. Being a kitsune he had ways of helping to coax a spirit in or out of a body, and if they could find a host, he could give Kagome another chance at life. Giving her the slightest of smiles, he nodded, "In the morning, we will go to Europe. Even with Sesshoumaru gone, there will be plenty of information at the estate. We'll find the contacts we need and go from there."

"In the morning then," Kagome said quietly, and watched the kitsune close his eyes to catch a few hours of sleep. She didn't blame him; they had quite a walk ahead of them in order to get to the nearest port which could take them to the mainland. In the meantime, she would pray and search out the jewel. If it was back in this world, there was a chance that her soul was still connected to it and it would only take a bit of concentration to strengthen the bond. While she may not be able to do much in this form, maybe, just maybe, she would be able to connect with it and keep the demon from utilizing its full power.

_In The Empire_

Deep within the palace, Empress Augusta Vradica, also known as Seth to close friends, sat upon her throne and stared at the closed doorway in contemplation. She'd received the petition from the Vatican for an audience and she'd granted it immediately. Truthfully, she'd been rather concerned with the disappearances within her kingdom and it was causing no small amount of unrest. The human deaths, though, went largely ignored by the Methusela population since there was still plenty of animosity between the two races.

Although the petition had been brief, the Empress wasn't exactly surprised to learn that the Cardinal had some sort of information about the attacker. Just who it was and where he was hiding continued to remain a mystery though. _'I'm not sure how much aid I can give them when they know more than we do. However, if I can be of any assistance to my brother and his friends then I will do so without reservation.'_

Nor would it be long before they made their appearance. Nearly fifteen minutes ago she'd gotten the message that they'd arrived and were on their way to see her. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it had been months since she'd seen her brother last and she wasn't above taking advantage of the opportunity the situation presented. Father Nightroad had always worked diligently for the Vatican, and as such, it left little time for familial visits no matter how much she desired otherwise. Carefully, she smoothed down the front of her green velvet dress, making sure that she was presentable when she heard the muffled sounds coming from just beyond the doorway.

However, the last thing she was expecting was the scream of pain she heard just before the doorway exploded inwards in a shower of debris. Her eyes widened in surprise to see the guards who had been posted at the entrance laying sprawled out upon the floor, lying in pools of their own blood. Anger flowed through her body when she saw the person responsible. "Just what is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the tall man striding towards her confidently.

"You're the Empress, I presume," Naraku said, ignoring the question completely. His gaze roamed over her appraisingly, taking in her seemingly fragile appearance. One would think her to be nothing more than a child, but he knew better. Before him was one of the most powerful beings left on Earth, and while her appearance did nothing to give that impression, he'd done his research well. He'd heard how she'd disguised herself on more than one occasion as a simple tea seller, using it as a ploy to get the information she desired and ensure that she was in a strategic position to act if the situation called for it.

"You fail to answer my question. Who are you and what is your purpose in coming here?" The Empress said as she stood up, preparing to deal with the insolent being standing before her. Even from here she could feel the power that the man was giving off and she knew that if he'd come to fight, it'd be impossible to fend him off without reverting to her Crusnik form.

"My purpose?" Naraku queried, inclining his head to gaze up at her, "My purpose is power, power which you hold, but not for much longer. I would suggest that you allow me to end your life quickly, but I think we both know that you wouldn't listen." There was no way that she'd just stand there and allow him to absorb her, and truthfully, he didn't want her to. He rather enjoyed the thrill of the fight, knowing that there was nothing that could truly challenge his power. Even now he'd formed a barrier around himself, and the strength of the jewel pulsed through his body in preparation of the fight which was about to commence.

"You were a fool to have come here," the Empress replied coldly, and activated the nanomachines that gave her the true power she kept hidden from the world. It was a slight surprise when he didn't react to her sudden change in appearance, but it was no matter. Instantly, she concentrated her energy into the tridents she now held and a slow smile crossed her face. Whether this fool realized it or not, the sound waves they were now emitting would soon kill him, disintegrating his body while he stood there with that condescending expression on his face.

Within seconds, Naraku felt the shock waves traveling along the surface of his barrier, making them ripple under the strain. A chuckle spilled from his lips when the smile on her face turned to one of confusion, "No, you're the fool for underestimating me. Did you really think that I would come here to issue a challenge and be defeated within the first minute of the engagement?" The confused expression on the woman's face only continued to grow when his skin began to contort with the demons within him attempting to get free. '_Yes, they sense the banquet of power lying before them. Perhaps I shall allow them to feast, just so the Methusela will understand the amount of power that I will use to subdue them if necessary.'_

The Empress stared in horror when the man's clothing began to tear, revealing the unmarred flesh beneath. Had that been all however, she would not have been concerned. No, what made her recoil in disgust was the way his skin began to tear, splitting open to reveal a beast clawing its way from his flesh.

"What... are you?" she asked in a near whisper. Clearly he was neither human nor vampire, and it was now apparent this was the man who was behind all the killings.

"A demon if you insist on knowing who it is that will be the one to kill you. Your race, along with the humans, were foolish enough to forget about our existence, but now you will all pay for that indiscretion," Naraku replied easily enough. The coppery scent of his blood filled the barrier, but he was not weakened by the wounds. In fact, they healed themselves almost instantly, despite the fact that more demons were struggling to get free. Nor did he attempt to stop them. It'd be nice watching the beasts rend the flesh from her bones. Oh, it might take a while to wear the woman down, but Naraku had no doubts that it was possible. He'd absorbed enough demons over the centuries that she would fall long before he exhausted himself.

Before the Empress could respond, the first of the creatures launched itself at her, but she wasn't about to become food for any disgusting creature such as this one. Angrily, she released another sonic wave towards the beast, smirking when its flesh began turning to dust and falling from its body. "You'll have to try harder than that if you hope to kill me," she said coldly and prepared for the next wave of demons.

"Impressive, but not good enough," Naraku replied and used his demonic speed to attack her. As expected, she moved quickly enough, but it placed her within range of one of the demons he'd turned loose.

Ruthlessly she cut through the demon with her tridents and turned them to ash before whirling to face her tormentor again. "Funny, I could say the same thing about you," she growled and lunged towards him. _'The barrier may be immune to sound, but can it withstand a physical attack?'_

"We're just getting started, my dear. We'll see how long you can hold out," Naraku said with a smirk, and retreated just far enough to begin herding her, systematically working her towards the demons waiting along the far wall. While she might be able to wield her weapons with efficiency, with her attention so divided, it was only a matter of time before she made a mistake.

The sound of tearing cloth filled the air and the Empress was forced to turn her attention to a rather ugly looking dog-thing who had seized upon the hem of her dress. Viciously her weapon came down, cleaving the animal in two and splattering her with the blood of her victim, yet the attack didn't stop there. Whirling around, she brought the trident arcing through the air in an attempt to slice her opponent's head from his shoulders.

The barrier stopped its descent however, and she had to grit her teeth against the recoil that traveled up her arms. More demons were coming from the man's body and she panted with the exertion of keeping them away. Desperately, she poured her power through the tridents a second time to buy her a few precious moments of breathing room. A faint sound reached her ears and vaguely she wondered what it could be as it gained in intensity. All too soon though she found out when pieces of the ceiling began raining down around them. _'What's happening now?'_

Immediately, the demons he'd turned loose became piles of ash, but Naraku sidestepped them easily. While it might give her a few seconds to get her bearings, it wasn't going to be nearly enough. While they'd been toying with each other he'd allowed the jewel's energy to flare and call forth the weaker demons which still remained in the area. As he'd predicted, they'd responded with enthusiasm, eager to devour the jewel and everything around it. When the demons began to break through the roof and pour into the throne room he chuckled at the exasperated look upon her face. _'A stalemate thus far, but it cannot remain that way forever. Sooner or later she will tire and then her life energy will be mine.'_

The Empress braced herself for the next attack and waited. There was no way in hell she was going to give up, not to this monster. But she had to admit, he had the ability to produce some of the ugliest creatures that she'd ever seen. The one staring down at her was a good example of it, being barely humanoid at best while possessing the head of some long dead sea serpent. The stench it was giving off was enough to make a person gag, and even the rush of fresh air from the ceiling collapsing provided no relief. Abruptly, it lunged towards her and she prepared to slice it in half, when gunfire filled the air, dropping it to the ground. With wide eyes she stared at the entrance to the room, and despite the grim situation she smiled, "Abel!"

"Sorry we're late, Seth," Father Nightroad replied in way of greeting, yet he never took his eyes off of Naraku. Once they arrived in the Empire, he had a feeling that they were about to encounter the enemy once more, and he'd been proven right. While he had no doubts that his sister would be able to handle the demon that had been reaching towards her, he was rather relieved that Tres had managed to take the beast out before it had a chance to touch her. It was a useful piece of information to file away for later. While he couldn't damage Naraku with his guns, these lesser creatures didn't have the same immunity.

Tres immediately picked up on that as well, and was prepared to utilize it to their advantage. "Deal with Naraku, I'll take out the other targets," he said calmly and trained his guns on the lesser demons running around. It would be difficult to fight with Father Nightroad and the Empress in the immediate vicinity, but he was nothing if not precise. There would not be any friendly fire injuries due to an error on his part.

"Right," Father Nightroad said, and began to advance upon the demon tormenting his sister. To see that she'd gone so far as to activate the nanomachines was telling enough, and he had no illusions that this battle would be easy. As such, he wouldn't hesitate to take the same path that his sister had chosen. "I don't know what your purpose is for coming here demon, but I promise you will not succeed," he told Naraku resolutely. "Nanomachine Crusnik 02, power output forty percent, activate."

"How amusing. To think that I would warrant the attentions of two Crusniks, I must say I'm flattered," Naraku drawled, watching the transformation take place. Had he been a lesser being, he might have actually been impressed by the change. After all, it wasn't often that one had the opportunity to see an ordinary looking human sprout wings, nor form a scythe made out of their own blood. "But it will still make no difference in the end."

"We'll see about that," Father Nightroad replied coldly and lunged towards the demon, intent on putting a stop to the fight immediately. There were no intentions of killing the man, not when he had so much to answer for. No, he'd be captured and transported to Rome where he would face the charges and pay for his sins.

For now, Seth took a step back and allowed her brother to test out his attacks on the demon. While she had her doubts about his ability to penetrate the barrier due to her own troubles in doing so, his attacks differed greatly from her own. Shadows danced upon the wall as the lightning attack was unleashed and the scent of burning ozone hung heavily in the air, yet to her dismay the barrier remained undamaged. To make matters worse, he was continuing to spawn demons from his body like it took no effort at all, and he was replacing them as quickly as Father Iqus was able to gun them down.

"Fool, did you really think that attack would be enough?" Naraku taunted and unleashed an attack of his own. The youki swirled through the air, colliding with the electricity that the silver haired male was giving off and absorbing it as if it were nothing before continuing its journey to its target. Predictably, the vampire moved out of the way, but not before the sleeve of his coat was hit and the smell of charred fabric joined the horrific smells filling the air.

Corpse after corpse fell to the ground in a sickening heap, yet Tres didn't dare pause in his attacks. The numbers were finally starting to dwindle slightly, but he knew that if he wasn't careful they could quickly build again. Father Nightroad needed to bring that barrier down so that they at least had a chance to subdue this demon, until that happened, the odds were stacked against them, and they couldn't hope to win. Sooner or later their physical bodies would tire and then they'd be at the man's mercy.

With narrowed eyes he watched another demon peel away from the dark haired man, and the moment it exited the barrier he had the gun trained on it. Gunfire filled the air yet again, but this time it didn't drop as expected. Instead the bullets ricochet wildly around the room, bouncing off of the barrier it had formed around itself. This presented yet another problem, one he was determined to solve before things got too out of hand.

Seth paled seeing the creature coming towards her, untouched by the attack that by all rights should have taken it out. In spite of the barrier being in place, the scent of rotting flesh reached her nose, making her grimace in disgust. Instinct told her that she couldn't allow this thing to come into physical contact with her and the oozing sores covering its body was a clear warning. It was disease riddled, and she didn't want to guess at what would happen if it managed to infect any of them. Hurriedly, she brought her tridents up in a guarding position and began an attempt to fight it off, yet each time she tried to parry its blow, the monster seemingly vanished. _'Too fast, where'd it go?'_

The answer came as pain sliced across her back and she could feel the blood beginning to seep from the wounds caused by its claws. Instinctively she bit back the groan of pain and tried to focus on finding the monster before it could strike her again. A blur to the right told her it was coming, but at far too great a speed to stop. But the anticipated blow never came because Father Iqus had interposed his body between them taking the blow. Being a cyborg he wouldn't suffer the effects of its disease, but even he wasn't likely to be able to hold it off for long. Already she was beginning to feel the effects, shivering when a chill snaked down her spine. _'It's happening already, I'm so cold.' _But she didn't dare complain and distract her brother from the fight he was engaged in. To do so might well kill him.

Naraku smirked seeing that his little pet had managed to hit the woman. It was rather fortunate that she was a Crusnik, had she been a mere human the disease that had just been passed to her would kill her within a matter of hours. Instead she had to look forward to days, perhaps weeks of hellish torture while her flesh rotted away and since there was no cure; those close to her would be forced to watch her die a wasting death.

"How does it feel to know that you were unable to protect your sibling? Tell me, I wish to know," Naraku said his tone one of pure satisfaction.

"Whatever you've done, you'd better pray there's a cure for it," Abel snarled in reply. If there wasn't, he would have to seriously consider the possibility of going back on his vow to never kill again, just to avenge her death.

"Or what?" Naraku taunted the enraged man, "You cannot touch me now, what makes you think you'll be able to in the future." He knew that he was getting to his opponent; just by the way his energy seemed on the verge of climbing. It looked as if things were truly about to get interesting, but before he could remark on it, there was a shift in his own power and for a moment it made him hesitate. A second pulse had him concentrating on the jewel, and to his irritation, it was wavering in color from the deep purple he'd tainted it with to the blinding pink that would come from it being purified. Angrily, he closed his hand around it in order to strengthen the malice that flowed within the sphere, but he yanked his hand away quickly enough when he was singed with the purifying energy only a miko could produce. "Kagome," he snarled, instantly recognizing who the energy had come from and gazed around the room suspiciously, "You bitch, how can you interfere when you're dead?"

While Father Nightroad was unsure of what had caused the man's distraction, he wasn't about to let the advantage go to waste. Ruthlessly, he pressed the attack in the hopes that one of his blows would bring the barrier down. The demon seemed to be consumed with the thought of this 'Kagome' and was now shutting everything out in favor of searching for her.

"Damn you," Naraku raged at the unseen miko. While he didn't know where she was, this was clearly her handiwork. Perhaps it was her reincarnation instinctively directing the jewel, or maybe it was her spirit coming back to haunt him, but either way he couldn't risk continuing this fight with such uncertainty. All it would take was one moment of the bitch seizing complete control of the Shikon and it could bring his barrier down, giving this fool in front of him the opening that he needed. With a violent burst of energy, he blew the remaining ceiling directly above him apart, forcing his enemies to scatter in an attempt to keep from being crushed by falling debris.

The detachment which had struck so cruelly at the Empress quickly made its escape in the confusion, knowing that its master would be contacting it later when its services were needed again.

Quickly, Naraku allowed his youki to take him into the air, leaving the three of them behind to lick their wounds. _'We'll finish this later. I've got a miko to find and kill again. You've interfered for the last time, Kagome.'_

Seeing that his opponent had fled, Father Nightroad was tempted to go after the demon, but one look at his sister made him pause. Sweat lined her brow and he could see that it was becoming an effort for her to even remain standing. Only the fact that she wouldn't allow herself to appear weak kept her on her feet.

"How bad is it?" he asked. If nothing else he could count on her to tell him the truth.

"It's... not good," the Empress replied uneasily. She didn't want to admit it, but pain was already beginning to wrack her body and she could feel the energy sustaining her draining away. Within moments she wouldn't even be able to maintain her Crusnik form.

"We need to get you to a healer," Abel replied quickly and moved to her side. He wouldn't go so far as to carry her so long as she was able to remain on her feet, but the moment her strength gave out, her royal appearance be damned, he was going to help her. "Which way?"

"Through the door and... to the left," she replied automatically and began walking in the direction she'd just told them. She was grateful that the two males flanking her were attentive, but not going out of their way to appear as if they were supporting her. There had been enough troubles in recent times and she didn't want to give the wrong impression to those who would seek to dethrone her, assuming anyone had the opportunity to see her. Still, it was agonizing to have to traverse the long hallways on her own, and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when the medical quarters came into view.

That relief, however, was short lived upon seeing the carnage that lay within. Apparently the demon had planned wisely and taken out anyone that had the training to see to battle wounds, just in case she had managed to escape. Wearily, she rested against the door frame, her mind attempting to process just what she was seeing, but it was so hard when all she wanted to do was rest.

"Father Nightroad, we cannot remain here, and the Empress needs medical assistance. Returning to the Vatican would be the logical choice now," Father Tres advised, quickly taking in the damage, "Remaining here is unwise. The probability that he will return is too high."

"Agreed. As much as I hate to do this, we should get you aboard the airship immediately," Abel said addressing his sister, "there's trained medical staff on board who can see to you while we're in flight, and once we're at the Vatican, the royal physician can see to your wounds." Even though it was breaking protocol to take Seth out of her kingdom, he saw no other choice in the matter. If the demon had been correct, they only had a limited amount of time to attempt to find a cure.

"Fine," she replied wearily, "contact the Earl of Memphis and inform him of what's happened. He'll be able to see that proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of the kingdom." She knew that while Ion might be young, he had a lot of determination to make up for that youth and he was well connected. He'd be able to begin the steps necessary to keep peace within the kingdom and most likely Lady Astharoshe would help him. Weakly, she tried to push away from the wall and blinked when her vision swam. A few moments later she felt strong arms wrap around her body and lift her into the air. "No," she protested against the hold, "you might... catch it."

"I'll take my chances," Abel whispered, and sighed when he felt her relax against him completely. There was no telling whether it was because she accepted what he'd said or just no longer had the strength to fight. Either way, he'd take it without complaint. Giving Tres a look that said they needed to get moving, he turned and left the room with his partner following closely behind. The sooner they made it onto the ship, the better he'd feel.

_Two days later_

No matter how hard Naraku had tried, he'd been unable to detect the slightest trace of Kagome's presence anywhere in the area and it was frustrating him to no end. In fact, he was beginning to doubt that it was even her in the first place, but the fact still remained that he'd felt her, so either he was losing his mind or the bitch was running around out there somewhere. _'But where? She had to be somewhere close in order to have tapped into the jewel like that! _ It just didn't make any sense unless... _Unless those fools at the Vatican had found her reincarnation somehow and they'd brought her with them. I'm sure they've returned to Rome and if so, they'd have taken their weapon back with them. They wouldn't be so foolish as to leave her unprotected where I could locate her.'_

Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense. If she was in Rome then it would be difficult, if not impossible for his senses to lock in on her and being untrained she wouldn't have proper control over the jewel. Add into it that the artifact wasn't in her possession and it explained things perfectly. _'Her continued presence presents a problem though. I cannot afford to fight the Crusnik while she continues to live, not if I want a guaranteed kill. I'll have to take the bitch out before I can continue my plans.'_

But that presented the question of how to get to the miko. Infiltrating the Vatican could prove to be difficult if she exerted control over the Shikon and if he were to lure her out into the open it was a given that she'd have protection. What he needed was a puppet, someone who could strike swiftly and take her out without endangering his own safety. As he thought about it a slow smile spread across his face and he allowed his eyes to close. He had the perfect pawn; he just needed to set the plan into motion. Extending his senses inward, he focused on the demon that had infected the Empress and impressed upon it the need to get to Rome. The miko of course was to be its highest priority, but if it ran across any high ranking officials then nothing said that there couldn't be other prey to toy with as well.

_At The Vatican_

In the shadows the creature lay silently, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make its move. Hunger coursed through its veins, but it didn't dare leave its hiding spot, not yet anyway. The instructions it had received had been clear and it dared not risk detection now, not when it was so far away from its master. The distance had lessened its protections considerably, weakening the barrier that surrounded it and the beast couldn't take the risk of being spotted before it had destroyed its target. But that didn't stop the thin tendrils of saliva from forming and dripping off of the teeth protruding from its snout each time a human walked past. It had been days since it had last eaten, but the master had refused to allow it to rest. Soon, very soon that hunger would be sated, but in the meantime it needed to be patient.

Darkness began to overtake the city and the beast's scaly skin trembled in anticipation. Angry red eyes peered out of the darkness and trained upon the entrance to the Vatican that lay only a few yards ahead. The guard, a rather portly human stood nearby although his posture spoke of weariness and the demon knew it would be exceedingly easy to slip past the man. Silently it crept from the hiding spot it had found, its muscular body tensing in preparation to bolt past the human. Twin tails swished in agitation and just when the man's head was turned, the demon streaked out into the open. It's near silent footfalls attracted no attention and within moments it had slipped through the gateway. Now that it had infiltrated the palace, the hunt could begin.

Carefully it scented the air, looking for any trace of holy energy which might draw it to the miko. The aromas were confusing to say the least with so many humans gathered in one place, but still it persisted. Quietly it stalked down a long corridor, pausing every so often to see if it was on the right track. While it couldn't find any traces of the miko per say, there was a vast amount of holy energy in one of the courtyards ahead. Suddenly another scent wafted on the breeze and it stopped the beast in its tracks, a low growl spilling from its massive throat.

In the distance he could detect the presence of the Crusnik who it had fought before and infected although her scent was weak, afflicted with the plague that it carried. Mingled with hers was that of the silver haired male that had leapt to her defense, but his odor was healthy, revealing that he had not caught the sickness despite its master's hopes. It was tempting, ever so tempting to go and finish the job that it had started, but a sharp tug on its senses stopped it from doing so. The master would be displeased if it ventured off on its own without fulfilling the mission it had been assigned.

Its ears flicked in agitation and the beast turned from that corridor and proceeded onward. Muffled voices reached its ears easily, each of them speaking rather excitedly about something that had amused them. Softly the demon snorted at their folly, how happy would they sound if they knew that death was prowling the hallways? In the distance it caught the slightest hint of movement and the beast tensed. Was this the miko that it sought? Carefully it scented the air, testing it for the taste of power that would signal he'd found his target. But soon it realized that the smell belonged to someone else, although not all together powerless. Briefly it hesitated, relaying the information to its master through the connection they shared and then waited for further instructions. They were quick in coming and within moments the beast was racing across the courtyard, intent on its new target.

Nearby, Pope Alessandro XVIII walked towards the gardens, needing a break from the headache that had come with Father Nightroad's return. His half brother Cardinal Francesco had not been pleased to hear that the Empress had sought sanctuary in their city and had spent the better part of the evening protesting the very idea. While he would never turn down help to someone who desperately needed it, he had to wonder if this would indeed bring more death and destruction to his people. Cardinal Caterina as expected had defended the reasoning behind bringing the Empress here and while they'd been arguing vehemently, he'd managed to slip away. Now, in the quiet of the night he felt free enough to let the troubles slip from his shoulders, if only for a few moments.

'_What should I do?'_ The thought went unanswered while he stared up at the darkening sky. People were dying and even the elite of the AX team had been unable to stop it. '_What do we do if something like that comes here? How could we stop it?' _

It was a very real concern since according to the report that had been given; this demon wasn't out to only subdue the vampires. The beast wanted to reign over them all, uncaring of what race a person happened to be and he had no qualms about killing anyone who stood against him. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps had him turning to see who approached and when his gaze caught the sight of a beast running towards him, his eyes widened in surprise. Knowing that he was no match for something like that, he turned and ran, hoping that he'd be able to reach safety before it happened upon him.

"Somebody help!" he screamed into the echoing darkness, praying that there would be someone nearby to hear him.

The beast snapped its jaws in amusement, running almost lazily behind its prey. It would be simple to catch the boy and snap his neck with one bite of its powerful jaws, but the sight of him running had brought its hunting instincts to the forefront. When the human bolted around one of the raised flower beds, it allowed him to get a good distance ahead before leaping over it in one fluid jump to land directly in front of the Pope. The shriek of surprise made its ears twitch in annoyance and moments later it knocked the human to the ground.

Sure that he was about to die, Alessandro brought his arms up to protect his face and neck, screaming when the beast's fangs punctured his skin. The torment didn't stop there however, suddenly he felt himself being shaken as if he was nothing more than a toy to an over sized dog. Yet this monster couldn't be considered dog like in any way other than the vaguest of notions. Spots began to swim before his eyes and blindly he groped with his free hand, hoping to beat the animal away. Instantly he was released, but it was only so the creature could attempt to get a better hold and soon the vise like grip fixed itself in place higher up on his arm.

So intent on its new toy, the beast never saw the attack coming from the side and it screamed in pain when the blade cut through its upper body. Snapping its jaws wildly, it lashed out at its attacker, but with its injuries, any real movement was impossible. The faint gleam of light shown off the blade coming for it a second time and within moments, all conscious thought faded.

Alessandro opened his eyes and sought out the gaze of his savior. Pale green eyes stared back at him, evaluating the damage that had been done and before he knew it, several others had surrounded him.

"Thank you," he whispered weakly before he was being picked up and rushed back inside to be treated. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he wondered just what this new development would mean for them all.

Father Nightroad watched the attendants carry the Pope into the medical ward, but this time he declined following them. Instead he stood beside Father Hugue de Watteau and tried to piece together what just happened. Time and time again they'd warned Alessandro against walking alone, especially in these trying times, but yet again he'd deemed it unnecessary to listen. Now he'd come under attack and they weren't even close to finding a cure for the disease both he and the Empress had been inflicted with. Something else was bothering him and it had to do with the corpse that was now lying on the floor. "Something has changed," he said at length.

"The barrier you mentioned was no longer present," Father Hugue agreed quietly. When he'd arrived on the scene he'd been fully prepared for an intense battle, but it had been pathetically easy to kill the demon. As it was, there had hardly been any resistance at all when his sword had struck the first time and even less the second. Whatever barrier had been there had been incredibly weak, leaving the beast virtually defenseless against attack.

"That's the way it would seem," Father Nightroad replied and considered the situation, "but why? What changed to make it so weak?" Had the demon been this easy to kill his sister would have been able to destroy it long before it had a chance to strike at her. The only difference he could think of was the fact that Naraku wasn't here, at least not that they'd seen. "Would separation from the demon that spawned it weaken the creature so much?" he queried while prodding the corpse with his boot. They were going to have to take great care with the disposal of the body. Since he hadn't become infected with the disease it had been determined that transmission most likely came from contact with its body fluids. Given the amount of blood that had been spilled, they could be looking at an epidemic if it wasn't handled properly.

For a moment Father Hugue said nothing and trained his senses to the surrounding area, attempting to detect whether or not there was another intruder. Sensing nothing he shrugged, "It's possible. We need to tighten security, the one who sent this creature won't hesitate to try again."

"Agreed," Father Nightroad replied with a sigh. More than likely both Lady Caterina and Cardinal Francesco had already heard of the attack and were planning what their next move would be. He needed to get back in there and see what was being decided, if anything. In the meantime, he knew that Father Hugue would be keeping a close eye on the surrounding area and most likely, the others were as well. "I need to check on his holiness and see if he's conscious enough to explain what happened before the attack," he said and when he received no answer from his friend, turned to head inside.

End of Chapter Three


	4. Chapter Four

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entirety of both series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

_**Chapter Four**_

The massive airship lay before them and Kagome couldn't help but look at it in awe. She'd never seen anything quite like it. She'd never felt comfortable venturing away from the Goshinboku even though Shippo had asked her if she wanted to accompany him each time he was forced to leave for a short time. "It's huge," she said quietly to the kitsune standing beside her, "but why would there be a port here? The cities are gone."

"The cities might be gone, but there's still plenty here that would interest the archaeologists. If you walked about ten miles to the north you'd encounter the remains of Osaka and there's a fairly large group of scientists there looking for what they call lost technology. Missiles and other weapons left over from the last world war are all prized discoveries and go for a premium. That's why this port is here, they need supplies delivered periodically," Shippo explained calmly, ignoring the puzzled looks he was getting by a few of the port workers that were lurking nearby. To them it seemed like he was talking to himself since it took a lot of effort on Kagome's part to make herself visible to the average human. It wasn't worth expending the energy most of the time and the rest, well Kagome didn't find many people worth talking to since she would be forced to explain her story and lay her guilt out for the world to see.

The explanation seemed plausible, but it still had Kagome raising an eyebrow in the redhead's direction, "There's more to it than that. I refuse to believe that we just happened to need a lift on the day that the airship was returning to the continent and even if it was, we're going further than it would normally." The entire situation seemed too convenient to have just happened like that, but when had Shippo had the chance to arrange it? He really hadn't left her sight the previous evening.

"Well no," Shippo replied with a grim smile, "I keep telling you the company has quite a bit of pull. I just called in a few favors." Well, that was stretching the truth just a bit, but he wasn't about to tell her that. In Sesshoumaru's lifetime he'd used much of it to build up a reputation and he wasn't above using violence when necessary to get his point across. Being the dog demon's partner extended that same reputation his way and when he called his 'acquaintances' needing something, they were all too happy to supply him with whatever he needed. Hence, the unscheduled airship just waiting to take them to Rome.

Hearing this Kagome snorted in amusement, "More like bullied them into it." When Shippo looked at her in surprise, she shook her head, "I've known you for how long now? I may not have watched you around these people, but I know how it works. Sesshoumaru wouldn't have put up with friendly negotiations, not when he wanted something. My question is when did you pull this off?" Even after all these years the kitsune still thought her to be the naive teenager that he'd met back in the feudal era. Unfortunately she'd lost that same innocence a long time ago, even if he didn't want to face that horrible truth.

"Tch, when you begin meditating you really do shut everything out, don't you?" Shippo asked in amusement. He'd only spent the better part of the morning on the phone arranging this little trip, something that she should have noticed. But instead she'd been in a trance, trying to prepare herself for what she knew was coming. Not that he blamed her though, assuming this worked she was in for one hell of a shock being revived. Unfortunately, he didn't know whether or not the person he needed to speak to would even be willing to grant his request.

Kagome blinked in surprise at the revelation, she could have sworn she only put herself into a light trance which should have allowed her to listen to everything that had gone on around her. During that time she supposed that the kitsune continued sleeping, but apparently she'd been mistaken. "Never mind," she sighed, "How long until we leave?"

"As soon as we board, it looks like they're almost ready to take off," he replied easily and began leading her up the platform that would take them to the first deck. Normally they could look forward to a couple of days worth of travel, but that was time that they just didn't have. Fortunately, this particular airship had no problem reaching a decent traveling speed and with luck they'd reach Rome within six hours.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kagome asked, giving the redhead an impish grin and moved out ahead, leaving him to hurry and catch up. Quickly she past the entrance and entered the lobby to admire the spaciousness of the interior. _'Wow, this is like something out of a movie.'_ Even the furniture seemed too luxurious to be sat upon, even if she had a body to do so. For a moment she couldn't help but be excited by the prospect of living again and it showed in the way she moved.

Even Shippo was slightly surprised when he stepped inside and dropped the small traveling case that he'd brought with him. When he'd requested transportation he'd been expecting the usual transport vessel at best and had been marginally surprised to see that it wasn't, but this went far beyond what he'd been expecting. But by the same token, he wasn't about to question his good fortune either since this beat sitting on a supply crate for the next several hours. _'Looks like we're on our own too, just as I...'_

"Master Shippo, I was wondering how long it would take you to get on board. Do you have the miko with you?" Jaken asked, staring expectantly up at the taller demon in anticipation of an answer.

_'Okay so we aren't alone, my mistake.'_ The thought was rather uncharitable, but Shippo wasn't particularly remorseful. He didn't really want to have to listen to the toad blubber over what had happened and make Kagome feel any worse than she already did. "Of course she's with me, Jaken. What did you think, that I'd just leave her there?"

"I can never tell with you," Jaken replied irritably, "you'd think you'd show some gratitude after the trouble I went through to make sure you weren't traveling like a sack of garbage. Now that you're the sole owner of the company you have an image to maintain." The words hurt to speak them, but it was nothing less than the truth. If he allowed the red head to gallivant around like he usually did he had no doubts that Lord Sesshoumaru would come back from the grave just to kill him himself.

Showing a distinct lack of grace, Shippo dropped down onto a nearby chair and sighed, "Don't remind me, alright? So I take it you're responsible for this. Please tell me you were able to make us an appointment at the Vatican." Throughout the morning he'd attempted to make contact with some of his friends within the city, but he'd been unable to even get beyond an answering machine and, as of yet, none of his calls had been returned.

"I'm afraid that's a miracle even I can't pull off," Jaken said and moved to sit in a nearby chair. The piece of furniture dwarfed his small frame, but he wasn't of a mind to care about his own appearances. "The rumors are that the Pope was attacked sometime last night, but I haven't been able to confirm anything. They're being exceedingly tight lipped about the entire thing, but if I were to wager a guess it's that disgusting Naraku behind it all."

"He's making his move already then," Kagome whispered quietly and moved to look out a nearby window. To her surprise they were already airborne and she hadn't even felt the ship take to the skies. _'He certainly isn't wasting any time, but why? What's so important about attacking one of the world leaders now?'_

"Shit," Shippo cursed beneath his breath, realizing the complications that this meant for both him and Kagome, "If this is true, then it'll be a cold day in hell before they welcome us into the Vatican, must less want to listen to us. I'll be lucky if they don't attempt to shoot me on sight just for knocking on the damned door."

"Are you always this foolish?" Jaken snapped, his beady eyes flashing in irritation, "A thousand years and you still don't look at the big picture. What Lord Sesshoumaru ever saw in you I'll never know." Despite the angry glare being thrown his direction the toad continued on his tirade, "What are you going to do, knock on the door and graciously say okay when they tell you to get lost?"

"Of course not, but I damned sure ain't going to get my head shot off just because they're worried about another attack," Shippo growled. While the toad had a point, he'd had more than enough of his intelligence being questioned, "Maybe I should just throw you over the gate to deliver a message to the Cardinal that we need an audience."

"What?" Jaken squawked indignantly at the very suggestion, "Need I remind you that this is your responsibility? If you can't get an appointment then do what you kitsune are known for! Sneak in or have your instincts become addled in your advancing age?" Okay, so technically he was older than the kitsune, but that didn't matter at the moment. The point was the taller demon wasn't using his brain and if Lord Sesshoumaru was here he'd be delivering a proverbial kick in the ass to the male staring at him now.

Throughout the exchange, Kagome had been staring at the both of them with wide eyes, unsure of what to make of the argument. But when Shippo stood up and began advancing on the toad demon she moved in between them, they couldn't afford to be fighting amongst themselves at the moment. "Now, Shippo, you know Jaken is obnoxious, but I'm sure he's under a lot of stress. Cut him a little slack," she advised gently, hoping to calm the kitsune down. They couldn't afford to be fighting, not when they had more pressing things at hand. Naraku had already killed those closest to them and the carnage would only continue with each passing day that he was allowed to live.

"Yeah well, I've heard sky diving is a perfect way to relieve stress and I think Jaken needs flying lessons anyway," Shippo grumbled yet made no further move towards the toad. To this day he still didn't know how Sesshoumaru had put up with the little beast for so long, even if he was good at performing menial tasks. Any further complaints he might have given died upon seeing the sorrowful look on the miko's face and he sighed, "You're right, let's just focus on the task at hand."

"You know I really hate when the two of you do that," Jaken complained although he was careful not to say something that would set the kitsune off again. It was clear Kagome had stepped in and stopped the argument from progressing, even if he couldn't see or hear her. It was amazing the way Shippo deferred to her even after all these years, it was almost as if the red head was domesticated or something. Jaken snorted softly at that thought, the very idea of a miko having such control over a demon was disgraceful, but then again his opinions never were taken into account when it came to this particular woman. Besides, she was the only one who could bring him the vengeance that he so desperately craved for his lord's death. For that he would set aside his natural dislike for her kind.

"Well it's not like we've got much of a choice until we can get Kagome the body she needs," Shippo replied with a trace of bitterness. Did Jaken really think that they'd be going through all this willingly? Kagome was dead for God's sake and he wasn't going to ask her to exhaust herself in an attempt to project just so the toad could hear her voice. It was enough that he could, and if necessary, he would relay her words to the smaller demon. In the meantime, Jaken could suffer; he really didn't give a damn.

The kitsune's words brought up something that Kagome had been wondering about since he had announced they were going to Rome. Clearly he had something in mind or he wouldn't have seized on the idea so quickly, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was a way for her to live again, why hadn't they thought of it before. Was there a way that she could have led a normal life long before now? The thought was depressing, but she pushed the thought away, not wanting to dwell on it. Instead she focused on what was to come. "Shippo, just how do you plan on doing that anyway?"

Instead of answering right away, Shippo returned to his previous spot on the couch and leaned back against the soft cushions. "I'm not entirely sure that we can," he replied after a moment's thought, "but it's the best chance we've got. While Sesshoumaru might not have approved of the way the humans used the technology we had developed, he kept tabs on just what they were doing. Even before the Mars colonization project began, they were developing methods to reproduce the human body. It started with cloning specific body parts, but it wasn't long before they'd succeeded in cloning an entire human body."

Kagome pursed her lips before nodding, "I remember they were experimenting on that with animals before I died. They'd only managed a few different kinds though, sheep and dogs if I remember right and it was far from perfect." In fact, she remembered thinking how the entire idea was ridiculous. It was one thing to want to use the technology to help people regain missing limbs, but to reproduce a pet? No, she hadn't been terribly impressed with the claims that had been thrown around at the time.

"Right," Shippo replied easily, "the technique was far from perfect, but it was the foundation that they needed to clone humans. Once they'd perfected that, they began researching the possibility of bioengineering human DNA so that they could control the aging process. It was thought that there were certain people that were important enough in the world to warrant playing God. In the end, they perfected the process and soon they were marketing the idea of humans having an extended life span. Needless to say, it was latched onto like a starving man with a piece of bread." Shippo remembered having many such discussions with both Sesshoumaru and Kouga many years ago. At the time, the idea of humans having the life cycle of a demon hadn't particularly pleased Sesshoumaru, especially considering that he believed they were an inferior species, but there hadn't been anything that he could do about it. It was bad enough that demons were slowly dying out and those that were left had become content with the idea of further diluting the lines by interbreeding with humans.

"It wasn't long after that the Mars colonization began," Jaken chimed in, happy to be contributing to the tale, "The Earth was on the brink of collapse, the natural balance destroyed with the prolonged life spans that humans had created for themselves. Two different factions set themselves up and eventually those who had embraced the changes that technology had brought left for Mars, leaving us and the remaining humans to try and salvage what was left of the Earth." Personally he would have been perfectly fine with all of them leaving if they would have just stayed gone. But unfortunately they hadn't been so lucky.

"And shortly after, war followed," Kagome murmured thoughtfully. At the time she hadn't been terribly interested with why it was happening, just that it was and there was nothing that she could do beyond warn Shippo to the danger she felt fast approaching. It had been enough, barely, but they'd made it through even if everything they'd ever known had been destroyed. Shortly after, Kouga and Sesshoumaru had moved to the continent while Shippo remained behind. Perhaps it was selfish of her to ask him to stay, but at the time she couldn't bear the loneliness that would come from being left behind.

Shippo nodded slightly, that much was ancient history. "As you know, when the humans returned from Mars they had changed into the Methusela. Between the bioengineering they'd done to themselves and the discovery of the Bacillus, it had mutated them into the vampires we know today. With the addition of the alien technology, they were superior to the humans that had remained behind. As you know, humans fear what they don't understand and war quickly broke out between the two races. There was no way the Methusela would accept being considered less than human, especially when they'd become more powerful." Even though he'd remained in Japan, he'd still kept in contact with the others and they made sure that he was kept up to date on the events that were unfolding. Not long after, the Catholic Church had seized power and brought about some measure of peace, even though they were technically still at war with the vampires.

"This is all well and good, but it still doesn't answer my question," Kagome replied uneasily. Were they taking her to some sort of lab so they could clone her body? In that case they'd need some sort of DNA sample and her body had been destroyed long ago. She failed to see how this was going to help.

"I'm getting to that, Kagome, don't be impatient," Shippo chastised her gently. Really, even though centuries had passed, that was one fault she'd never been able to get rid of which was rather ironic. After all, what did she really have to be impatient about anymore? Seeing the irritated look that was being thrown his way he decided to get on with the explanation, "Because it was the genetic engineering that had started all of this, the Catholic church decreed it to be against God and banished its use which resulted in every company which offered the services to be shut down. Even if most people have moved on and don't give it a second thought, we're more than aware that the technology is not lost."

"Of course it isn't," Jaken scoffed in annoyance, "You'd have to be a fool to not notice how those that have been in power over the past centuries have not had extended life spans. The only thing that's shortened them has been the war and assassination attempts. That's how that weakling Alessandro ascended to power." He'd only had the misfortune to meet the boy once and that had been more than enough. How in the hell a human that was so easily pushed around had come to power, he'd never know.

"So they're still practicing it even though they believe it to be responsible for the state the world is in now? Hypocrites," Kagome said, although it was without heat. There was no way she was going to condemn them for doing something that anyone else would have done.

"Human nature," Shippo replied with a shrug, "but in this instance I'm glad they're so damned predictable. It might be difficult to convince them to use it to create you a new body, but they have the ability." And if push came to shove, he wasn't about to hesitate in using violence to get what he wanted, but somehow he didn't think it would come to that, not if it was true that the Pope had been attacked.

"Alright so that explains how it's possible, but don't you need my DNA to do that and how are you going to get my soul into the new body?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her. Although she wouldn't complain too much, it would be extremely weird to wake up in the morning and see herself as someone else.

"I'd thought about that, the DNA thing, and frankly we're going to have to make due with what we can get. Hopefully there's someone there willing to hand over a few strands of hair, because my own DNA won't work. As soon as your soul entered the body, it would purify the flesh since it was demonic and we'd be back at square one," Shippo replied with a sigh, "but on the bright side, I do have a theory about how your body would appear."

"You're referring to how suspiciously alike both that dead priestess and Kagome looked," Jaken stated matter of factly, instantly picking up on the theory that Shippo was suggesting.

"Right," Shippo confirmed with a nod, "I'd seen the way Kagome's family looked and I have to say, there was very little family resemblance between them. However, more than one person mistook Kikyo and Kagome, although there were distinct differences. I believe that Kagome's soul is powerful enough that it unconsciously manipulated her body to take the appearance it had wanted. If that's the case, there's no reason it shouldn't do so again." That was what he was hoping for anyway, but they'd have to wait and see if that's what actually happened or not.

Hearing that was actually a bit of a relief to Kagome and her expression relaxed ever so slightly. She really didn't want to look like anyone but herself, but if she did, it couldn't be helped. At least she'd be alive again and that would be better than what she had currently.

"You have a plan then for implanting her soul within the body?" Jaken inquired. He too was curious as to just how the kitsune planned to accomplish such a thing. Although he wasn't sure what it entailed, he seriously doubted that Shippo would use the same method that Urasue used to shove a piece of Kagome's soul in the clay doll that resembled Kikyo.

Shippo closed his eyes and considered the question before answering it. Much of a kitsune's nature was secretive and rightly so, to reveal too much would give a person power over the kitsune's soul. While he had no problems trusting these two, there was always the chance of someone overhearing, and because of that he wouldn't reveal too much. "Every creature, be it a human or demon has a connection to the spirit world, but most of them don't know how to tap into it. I do and it's through that connection that I'll manipulate the energy surrounding the body into accepting her soul."

"Tch, kitsune and their secrets. Must you be so mysterious?" Jaken muttered beneath his breath. The explanation had been about as clear as mud, but based on Shippo's smug expression, he wasn't planning on enlightening them anytime soon. But still, it made him wonder, if Shippo could do this for Kagome could he possibly do it for Lord Sesshoumaru? He could easily provide the DNA necessary to begin the cloning process, it was just a question of if the red head could find his Master's soul or not, just as he'd done with Kagome's.

"Of course we do," Shippo replied with a grin, "we wouldn't be kitsune otherwise." With that he stood and walked towards the stairway which would lead to the deck, he needed the fresh air.

_Just over six hours later_

Shippo was rather grateful that the rest of the trip had been relatively uneventful. Most of the time had been passed halfheartedly listening to Jaken ramble on about the responsibilities that he'd be expected to pick up until he'd finally put his foot down. Apparently the toad hadn't realized that by hunting Naraku, it would mean that he wouldn't be there to make corporate decisions and the hunt was by far the most pressing matter to deal with. _'Let the suits handle the company for now, I'll worry about what happens next after Naraku is dead.'_

Of course that had stunned the toad, but to his credit, he didn't protest any further. It left Shippo alone so he could contemplate just what they had to do in order to see the Cardinal. As expected, much of it would depend on whether or not the rumors of an attack were true and now that he was off the airship, there was no doubt. Security swarmed the port, checking every single passenger that went through the building. Now more than ever he was glad that he had his illusion firmly in place while Jaken has so generously made sure that he had the passports he needed because it was clear he was going to be questioned.

Kagome moved beside him and surveyed the sheer masses of people that had congregated in the building. Armed guards patrolled the building and their clothing made them easily noticeable. However, there was yet another person who stood out to her, making her pause. "Who's that? He looks important," she asked and pointed to a rather broad shouldered man who was clothed differently than anyone else. The black and silver trench coat he wore made him look rather foreboding and his expression didn't look any friendlier either.

Quickly Shippo looked in the direction that Kagome was pointing and sighed. "It figures that they would be here," he muttered beneath his breath and looked over to Jaken, "we're going to have to play it carefully. No doubt they're looking for anyone suspicious so keep your cool alright?"

"Don't worry about me, Mr. Hakashi, we'll proceed through the security check out so you can get down to business," Jaken replied, instantly falling into the mode of Shippo's assistant. They had to perform flawlessly because while an ordinary human might make mistakes, as a general rule the elite members of the AX did not.

If there was one thing that Kagome disliked it was being ignored and her irritation showed clearly on her face, "Am I going to get an answer or not?" She didn't see what the problem was, they were far enough away from the man that he wouldn't hear them talking.

"Easy, Kags," Shippo cautioned and reached down to pick up his small suitcase, "that man is a member of the AX; they're sort of like the personal guard to the Vatican. It looks like the rumors were true and they've stationed guards to watch and see if _he_ shows up again." That was the best explanation he was willing to give at that point and he wasn't about to mention Naraku's name on the off chance that the man could catch bits and pieces of the conversation.

Kagome nodded in understanding, "I see, so what do we do now then?" She eyed the long lines, wondering if they were going to have to wait for hours just to get through them. The thought was disheartening, they had to get moving if they were to catch up to Naraku anytime soon. There was just no telling how long it would take to create the body that she needed.

"We do what any other high ranking suit would do," Shippo replied firmly, "we use our money and reputation to push our way to the front of the line." Taking that approach was sure to garner attention, but it would look even stranger if they were to stand around and wait like the commoners. For now he'd take the lesser of two evils and hope that they wouldn't be speaking with any of the AX members lurking in the area. Where a normal human wouldn't sense his demonic energy, there was no telling whether or not the men from the Vatican could.

Knowing that it was up to him, Jaken began walking towards the line with a scowl on his face. It was times like now that he was thankful for the brat's abilities with illusions, otherwise, he'd have better luck clearing these humans by torching them with the Staff of Two Heads. "Excuse me," he snapped impatiently at one of them who had walked in front of him and just stopped, "Make way for Mr. Hakashi, you fools." By now they were attracting a fair amount of attention, but at least people were moving out of the way.

On the outside, Shippo had schooled his expression to one of sheer boredom in watching Jaken part the masses before him, but inside he was rolling his eyes. As much as he wished that the act that the other demon was putting on was just that, an act, he knew better. Jaken had to be one of the nastiest tempered demons when he got right down to it, he was just too damned small to do anything with that attitude.

Spotting his prey, Jaken marched right up to the head of security, "You there, who do I speak to so we can cut this security nonsense and leave? Mr. Hakashi has an important business meeting to get to and he cannot be delayed, "he said stiffly, hoping to intimidate the human into bowing to his will.

"I'm sorry Sir, but we're in a high priority situation here. Both of you are going to have to wait your turn, just like everyone else," the supervisor said with a sigh. This was the part that he hated about his job, dealing with the stuck up snobs that had entitlement issues took up most of his time. The suits just couldn't understand how they weren't any better than anyone else when it came to getting through the checkpoints. Now as he stood there in front of the ugly man, he could predict the response he was going to get. _'Any moment now...'_

"That is not acceptable," Jaken snapped in irritation, "do you know who you're dealing with? Mr. Hakashi is a very high ranking official in Nariyuki Corporation and it's imperative we make this meeting!" Jaken knew that he had gotten the man's attention by the way his eyes widened and for the briefest of moments he thought he'd won.

Indeed the supervisor had heard of the Nariyuki Corporation and he knew that the redhead standing behind the nasty assistant was likely to be personal friends with the president. He paused only for a moment to consider his choices. If he refused, then most likely the man would cost him his job once he made a few calls, but on the other hand, if he allowed them special treatment he was looking at getting fired anyway. Sighing heavily he shook his head, "I understand your concern, but the answer remains the same. If you'd just get in line you'll be through quicker than you will if you stand here asking for things I can't allow."

"Why you! I'll have your job for this," Jaken sputtered in indignation. Now he wished he did have the staff in his possession, he'd take great pleasure in showing this person just who he was dealing with.

"Dear God, is he always like this?" Kagome muttered under her breath, ignoring the look Shippo threw in her direction. After spending a handful of hours in the toad's company even she was ready to drop kick him. _'Would it have killed him to ask the man nicely? It's no wonder he said no!'_

Hearing the disturbance had immediately gained Father Nightroad's attention and as much as he wanted to ignore it, he couldn't. What he wanted was to be back in the medical ward making sure that both his sister and the Pope were being attended to properly, but as it were, he'd been needed here while the Cardinal called in some of the other operatives from out in the field. So here he was, stuck in a port with irate people who weren't any happier about being there than he was. While he couldn't blame them, they needed to show a bit more patience. Calmly, he walked up to the three men standing there, two of which were arguing, and smiled with some difficulty. "What seems to be the problem here?" he asked pleasantly, hoping to diffuse the situation.

_'Shit!' _Shippo thought to himself, he had been hoping that they wouldn't draw that much attention, but there didn't seem to be any helping it now. "There's nothing to concern yourself with, sir," he said, trying to keep his tone respectful as possible. There was no sense in pissing off the wrong person, especially when they were going to be asking for their help later.

"Shippo, if we're going to be dealing with these people later why not try to make friends with them now? If you can get his help it'll be easier to get into the Vatican, won't it?" Kagome asked uncertainly. The silver haired man which had come to resolve the problem seemed nice enough and while it was setting her senses off, it wasn't in an all together bad way. She could sense the blood he had on his hands, but it was tempered with regret and somehow, she felt that they could trust him.

"Excuse me?" Father Abel blinked in surprise and looked around for who it was that had spoken, "Who said that?" He was positive that he had heard a female voice saying that they needed his help to get into the Vatican, in Japanese no less. Very few even spoke the language anymore, but it was one that he had learned long ago. Were they there to attend Mass or were they coming for another, more sinister reason. While he couldn't be sure, he refused to jump to conclusions, so instead he played it safe for now and didn't ask outright what their intentions were.

"What the hell? He can hear me?" Kagome gasped out, surprise overtaking her expression. So far the only one who had been able to do so without a conscious effort on her part had been Shippo. With wide eyes she turned to look at the kitsune and asked, "Who is this guy?"

"Of course I can hear you Miss... Um, where are you exactly?" Father Nightroad asked, again, this time switching to Japanese while looking around for the woman speaking, but not finding anyone. _'Where are you? And what is your purpose?'_ If this were another attempt to infiltrate their defenses to strike out at another of their circle, they'd find there would be hell to pay for even considering such a plan.

"Great, he can hear me, but he can't see me. This is just _perfect_," Kagome complained bitterly, ignoring the incredulous look that Shippo was giving her. "Oh don't you look at me like that, what were you planning to do? Tell him that he was hearing voices?" Softly she snorted and crossed her arms, "Look, Mr... whatever your name is. My name is Kagome and I have a slight problem here because I'm _dead_. Is there somewhere we can go to talk? I think you might be able to help us."

Father Nightroad blinked a couple of times while processing just what it was that he was hearing. Now they definitely had his interest, even if it hadn't been for the voice appearing out of nowhere. The name alone would have grabbed his attention seeing as that had been the one spoken by the demon during the attack on his sister. The added bit of information that she'd given about being dead only served to further arouse his curiosity. Hadn't this monster mentioned that he killed the woman named Kagome? Quickly he nodded, "I'm Father Nightroad and of course we can talk, if you would follow me."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Kagome" Shippo said with a sigh and turned to follow the priest out of the building. If she'd accomplished anything it was that security was no longer an issue, but what problems had she put in place of that red tape?

"Like Jaken was doing any better," Kagome replied, immediately defending her actions. Speaking of the toad, he was doing a rather impressive imitation of a fish some distance back and if he didn't hurry he was going to be left behind. _'At least we're finally getting somewhere.'_ Just as they were about to reach the doorway, the other AX member that she'd noticed earlier approached, leaving her to wonder if they were going to get anywhere after all.

Tres stopped just a few feet away from the small entourage and looked them over carefully, "Is there a problem, Father Nightroad?" Unless his partner had received new orders, they were not to leave the premises for another three hours. The two men standing there didn't look particularly suspicious, but that meant nothing under the circumstances. Everyone was to be looked upon with suspicion, no exceptions.

"They may have pertinent information, Father Tres," Father Nightroad replied quietly, "I'm taking them to see Lady Caterina and she can determine what needs to be done." Something told him that what they had to say was rather important and they could not afford to allow these three to slip through their fingers.

The meaning behind Father Nightroad's words were not lost upon him and immediately Tres nodded, "Understood, I will accompany you back and assist in the interrogation." Immediately he turned and walked up to the two guards stationed at the doorway, "Post more sentries, we must return to the Vatican." While his orders had been to remain at the port, he also had a duty to assist Father Nightroad in escorting any suspects back to be questioned.

Shippo felt rather uneasy about the entire situation, but there was nothing to be done about it right now. Something felt off about Father Tres and he wasn't quite sure what it was just yet. With a sigh, he followed Father Nightroad out the door while the other man brought up the rear, no doubt to ensure that they didn't attempt to escape.

Soon enough Father Nightroad had gotten them into the car that had been waiting to take them back to the Vatican and he observed the two that he could actually see carefully. Now that he had a good chance to look at them, something seemed off and he felt no remorse in coming right out and asking them about it, "You're not normal humans, are you?"

"Tch, it took you long enough to notice something. We're not human at all," Jaken replied irritably, unsure of how the hell this had happened to begin with. All he knew was that Kagome had something to do with it and once again he'd been left in the dark. _'I should have just stayed on the ship and saved myself the trouble of working with these two.'_

"Speak for yourself, toad," Kagome shot back. She was rather proud of being human, even if she didn't exactly have a body at the moment. "I am human, or rather, I was," she muttered beneath her breath and turned her head to stare out the window.

Before Father Nightroad could respond to Jaken's cryptic statement, Tres asked a question of his own, "What are you then?" Before the question wouldn't have been necessary and he would have labeled them as Methusela, but now with demons around they couldn't be certain.

Seeing no reason to keep it a secret any longer, Shippo was the one to answer the question. "We're demons, Kagome excluded of course and we've discovered that we might have a problem that's related to one of your own." Immediately he noticed the suspicious and skeptical look he was being given, but he wasn't about to drop his illusions right now. That could come later, once they were behind the gates of the Vatican.

"You speak of the Shikon jewel and the demon who controls it," Father Nightroad stated cautiously and waited to see what their reactions were. It seemed unlikely that these three were working for the demon in question, it would be foolish for them to take such a direct approach.

"You've done your research," Kagome replied quietly, turning her attention from the passing scenery, "I'd rather not have to tell this tale more than once, how long until we reach our destination?" Somehow she doubted it was very far, but she wanted to be sure.

Father Nightroad looked towards the window, looking for any trace of the woman who spoke, but still he saw no sign of her. "We'll be there soon and then you can explain what you are to Naraku and how he came to kill you." From what little she'd spoken about her condition, he could tell that it was a sensitive subject, but still, they had to know the entire story.

"Who are you speaking to?" Father Tres asked his partner while allowing his scanners to search the car. Although he could not see anyone else, he was certain that Father Nightroad had information that he did not.

"Ah, that's right," Father Nightroad replied with a slight laugh, "You cannot see her can you? Father Tres, the third person with us is a woman by the name of Kagome." It was an impromptu introduction at best, but they weren't going to get much better than that. Suddenly the car slowed and he turned his attention back to the two demons staring at him, "And here we are. Now if you three would follow me, I'll take you to the person who can help us get this all straightened out." Once the car stopped, he opened the door and exited the vehicle.

"It's about time," Jaken scoffed and allowed himself out of the car. He was more than fed up with the situation as it stood and he had not been impressed with their escorts.

Hearing yet another tirade about to start, Shippo snapped at him, "That's enough, Jaken. If they decide to gag you I am _not_ stopping them." The warning glare that he gave the smaller demon seemed to be enough to quell another outburst for the moment, although, he had his doubts on how long it would last. Heaving a sigh, he followed Father Nightroad across the courtyard and nearly rolled his eyes at how quickly the humans within the compound appeared to gawk at them. _'I haven't even dropped the illusions and they are acting like we're from a side show circus.'_

"Yes well, we aren't quite that extreme, I don't think," Father Nightroad replied with a reassuring grin. He wouldn't say that they'd be treated to far worse if they found that they had malicious intentions. A pin drop could have been heard in the emptiness that surrounded them in the hallways. Despite the fact that he could feel the eyes and ears pressing in around them, their audience was being suspiciously quiet.

"You might not be, but believe me, Shippo would. So would I for that matter if I could actually get a hold of the tape to shut him up," Kagome replied in amusement, "Would you believe this is actually mild for him? He's usually far worse."

Father Nightroad couldn't help but chuckle, "You know, somehow that wouldn't surprise me, Kagome." And it was true, after what he'd seen at the port checkpoint he could easily see the man being far worse than he was now.

"I don't know what it is you said, you wretched girl, but don't think you can insult me and get away with it," Jaken muttered beneath his breath. Somehow he just knew that she was picking on him and Shippo wouldn't do a thing to stick up for him. "I swear, neither of you have changed in centuries. Why did I have to get stuck with the both of you?"

"Because we're the only ones that will put up with you," Shippo supplied helpfully, ignoring the squawk of indignation that soon followed his statement. Fortunately, he was spared from having to listen to the toad because they'd reached a rather ornate door and Father Nightroad was knocking on it.

"Enter," Lady Caterina called out and looked up upon seeing the door open. She'd already known who it would be, given that she'd just spoken with the head of security at the port and had been informed of that her team had left. Immediately her gaze went to the two men that were standing between both Tres and Abel. Nothing about them looked particularly out of the ordinary, but they wouldn't have been brought here without a reason. "Father Nightroad, Father Tres, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Well, not to put too fine of a point on it, your Grace. The people I bring before you have some information on Naraku and the jewel. This is Mr. Hakashi," Father Nightroad supplied, indicating Shippo with his hand, "and this is... Jaken." He could see that he'd caught her attention and wanted answers to the many questions they had, but he wasn't finished yet, "There's another visitor here and Kagome's situation is... rather peculiar."

"Kagome?" Caterina echoed, instantly recognizing the name from the reports she'd received earlier, "Please, do begin the explanations now." She didn't want to make any assumptions as to what was going on without hearing the story, but one thing she did know was that Kagome was supposed to be dead and there clearly wasn't a third person for her to see.

"Allow me," Shippo said and allowed the illusions he had placed on both him and Jaken to fall. Gasps of surprise immediately followed, but to the human's credit, they didn't attack. "To begin with, we may as well get this out in the open. Jaken and I are demons and together with Kagome, we've been fighting Naraku since the feudal era nearly fifteen hundred years ago. As you've probably guessed, Kagome is in fact dead and it's for that reason we've come to you for help."

"I think perhaps you should start from the beginning," Lady Caterina replied and leaned back in her chair, preparing for a long story. Now that her suspicions were confirmed she was waiting to see if there was any possible help that these three could offer.

Nodding slightly, Shippo took a seat in a chair directly across from her without bothering to ask. He wasn't about to make himself uncomfortable in the process of telling this tale. "I guess I should start by explaining just what the Shikon is," he began, "I'm not sure how much you know about it, but the jewel's story begins with an ancient priestess named Midoriko."

"She was the person who created the jewel, was she not?" Lady Caterina asked, attempting to confirm whether or not the scroll had been accurate. If these newcomers could provide verification of what little information had been in the scrolls it would go a long way towards establishing some trust and credibility in her eyes. If not, then she would have to assume that whatever else they said would have to be viewed as suspect.

Nodding once, Shippo continued, "Yes she was. A great battle had taken place between Midoriko and some of the more powerful demons at the time. It lasted for days, neither side giving an inch, but eventually she was overwhelmed. As the demons were attempting to devour her, she forced her soul from her body and trapped the demons within the sphere that formed. The souls are the source of the jewel's power and it can be tainted if it falls into the wrong person's hands. It's now obvious that's exactly what's happened."

Father Nightroad moved to stand next to the desk and gave Shippo a concerned look, "Just what is this jewel capable of?" While he'd battled Naraku while the demon was holding it, he knew there was a good chance that the full power of the Shikon had not been revealed. Just what sort of disaster were they facing when Naraku chose to strike again?

With a sigh, Shippo answered the question, "Everything. There's no limit to what the jewel can accomplish. At one time we believed that it could be destroyed with a wish and used that method to banish it, but as you can see, it didn't work like it should." At this point he fixed them all with a serious look, "We've seen mere shards of the jewel reanimate the dead. In Naraku's hands, it allows him to control them in any manner that he chooses. With the entire jewel he's managed to destroy one of the most powerful demons to walk the Earth and now the only person who has a chance to fighting him is standing before you dead."

"You mean Kagome then," Lady Caterina stated, wishing that she could see this person who was reputed to be so powerful. Which brought about another interesting question, "If you don't mind my asking, how did she die?"

"I was stupid enough to believe that Naraku was dead," Kagome muttered beneath her breath. The images burned into her memory would haunt her forever, of that she had no doubt.

Father Nightroad raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, "Naraku is the one that took your life then?" The news didn't sit well with him, especially considering that he'd been hoping there was something they could do to use her in Naraku's destruction.

"Would you rather be the one to tell them what happened?" Shippo asked her gently, "It'll cause too much confusion with both of us speaking when only Father Nightroad can hear you." While he didn't want to force her to retell the tale, some things only she could answer, and sooner or later, they'd want Kagome to reveal herself. It would help if they could see her as he did.

"Not really, but..." Kagome trailed off and moved closer to the desk, "they need to see in order to know, don't they?" Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and concentrated, focusing on pulling the power from her soul in order to manifest a physical representation of herself. By the gasps that surrounded her, she'd known that she'd succeeded.

Lady Caterina swallowed hard seeing the translucent form standing before her with sorrowful eyes. Although she appeared to be uninjured, blood coated her skin and clothing, giving the girl a rather morbid appearance. "What happened to you?" she asked as gently as she could.

"In order to explain that, I must tell you how Naraku came to be. I was in fact a reincarnation of a powerful priestess by the name of Kikyo and she had been entrusted with protecting the jewel. But in addition to this, she took on the normal duties one would expect from a miko such as tending the sick and wounded. One day she found a horribly burnt man who lay on the brink of death and being who she was, she could not deny him aid," Kagome said quietly, her eyes taking on a far away look as she remembered the images that she'd gotten from her predecessor, "Unfortunately for her, this man, by the name of Onigumo, was wicked and full of hatred for his fellow man. When he laid eyes on Kikyo he was entranced by her power and beauty, but he was further seduced by the fact that she protected the Shikon."

"It would have been better for all of us if she'd left him to die," Jaken growled in distaste. How could the woman have allowed him to live, knowing that he held such evil in his heart?

"Even she would not be able to deny the truth in that statement, Jaken, but the fact still remains that she held compassion for him and it led to her death," Kagome replied without any malice clouding her voice, "In the end, Onigumo realized that he would never be able to walk again, his body had been too badly burned and Kikyo would never look at him as a man, merely a patient to be tended to until he succumbed to his wounds. Unwilling to give into his fate, he spoke to the demons lurking nearby and offered his body as a sacrifice to them if only they would lend him their strength and power. They accepted and Naraku was born."

"And afterwards?" Father Nightroad asked solemnly, knowing that there was far more to the tale that hadn't been spoken as of yet.

Kagome stared down at the surface of the desk and gazed at her reflection for several moments. Even now she could see the similarities between herself and Kikyo and it made her stomach churn. All this death because Kikyo had been unable to destroy the jewel the first time and then, she followed right in her footsteps. It was a bitter pill to swallow. "What happened next? Naraku took to following Kikyo and discovered that she had a half demon for a lover and his jealousy overwhelmed him. He became convinced that if he couldn't have her, he'd at least have the jewel, so he came up with a plan to destroy them both. There was no way he could get his hands on the Shikon otherwise. It was so easy," she said bitterly, "As much as Kikyo and Inuyasha proclaimed to love each other, neither one had the trust that was needed to avoid what was to come. She wasn't happy with her lover having demon blood and wanted to use the jewel to turn him into a human. Inuyasha on the other hand had been shunned his entire life and he'd latched onto the affection she'd shown him with a blinding loyalty, but little trust. When Naraku used an illusion to appear as Kikyo, he believed that she had turned on him."

"And so they both perished then?" Lady Caterina asked calmly. While it was indeed a tragic tale, she had little sympathy for the two lovers. She'd seen far too much in her lifetime and had become hardened to life's tragedies.

"Not exactly," Kagome replied, raising her gaze away from the table to look into her eyes, "Naraku also took Inuyasha's form and went to the place that they were supposed to meet at to make the wish. He was beyond furious that she would waste the wish in such a fashion and using her lover's form, he struck her down and delivered a fatal injury before seeking out Inuyasha to trick him as well. In the end, Kikyo managed to make it back to the shrine where she found the true Inuyasha making off with the jewel. With the last bit of her strength she used an arrow to pin him to the Goshinboku tree, but instead of killing him, it put him in what was supposed to be an eternal sleep. Only then did she give her sister Kaede instructions to burn the jewel along with her body which was supposed to destroy it." But what was supposed to be and what actually happened were two totally different things, leaving Kagome to wonder if the jewel would ever be destroyed.

"Obviously it didn't work though. Kikyo was foolish to believe that something so simple would destroy the jewel," Jaken added, distaste coloring his words. Honestly, he didn't know which of the two was more pathetic, Inuyasha for loving the woman or Kikyo for looking for ways to shirk her duty to protect the damned thing.

"We all make mistakes, Jaken," Shippo replied wearily. Even if he wanted to place the blame squarely on Kikyo's shoulders he couldn't, not when they all shouldered some of the responsibility.

"And mine was probably the biggest of them all," Kagome said, picking up the thread of the story, "Although I didn't realize it at the time. I was born five hundred years after Kikyo's death with the jewel laying dormant in my body. I never even knew it was there until my fifteenth birthday when I went into a well house on my family's shrine. I'd never listened to the legends surrounding it, I thought they were only fairy tales. So when a centipede demon erupted from the bottom and dragged me down the well, I panicked and unleashed some of the power trapped inside of me. It bought me enough time to climb out of the well, but I was no longer in my own era. The Goshinboku combined with the powers of the Shikon transported me into the past, fifty years after Kikyo's death. I wasn't sure why at the time, but now I know that it was to set right the things that had gone wrong."

Lady Caterina stared at the spirit incredulously, "You mean you were able to travel through time?" Although the scroll had made mention of it she'd dismissed it as nothing more than fantasy, despite the amount of power that Naraku had shown. _'Is it even possible? It has to be, what could she possibly gain in lying about this?'_

Slowly Kagome nodded, knowing that it was a hard idea to accept, "I understand if you have your doubts, even my family thought I was crazy until I was able to show them proof, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Originally when I came out of the well, I saw Inuyasha sleeping, pinned to the tree. Soon after though the villagers found me and thought I was a kitsune wearing an illusion." At the time it hadn't been funny, but after knowing Shippo for so long, it was slightly amusing. She couldn't help giving him a warm look, but she quickly sobered again, "Unfortunately, the centipede demon hadn't forgotten about me and she attacked the village. At the time I hadn't given much thought to what I needed to do, beyond getting the demon away from the village so I ran into the woods. I managed to make it back to the tree, but this time, Inuyasha had awoken. Maybe it was the fact that the jewel had come out of dormancy or maybe it's because I have Kikyo's soul. Either way he was awake and rather pissed when he saw me."

"Tch, that's because he thought you were Kikyo, not because there was a fifty foot bug about to eat you," Shippo threw in and raised a brow at the look of irritation that the miko gave him for that one, "What? It's true!"

"Getting back to the story," Kagome said, glaring at the kitsune, "Since I wasn't trained in how to use these powers I didn't even know I had and Inuyasha was pinned to the tree, the demon ripped the Shikon out of my body and swallowed it, tapping into its powers. The villagers had arrived and tried to subdue it, but arrows against an armor plated bug quite frankly is like firing a pellet gun at an elephant. It doesn't do shit."

"So what did you do?" Father Nightroad asked, trying not to grin at the look that crossed the miko's face when she said that. The analogy while amusing was probably quite true and he certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that sort of attention. _'All the same, she certainly is strange for a priestess, not that it's a bad thing.'_

"I made a deal with Inuyasha, I'd free him if he'd kill the demon. When he agreed, I destroyed the arrow sealing him to the tree and he made short work of Mistress Centipede. Unfortunately, he was still rather pissed about the entire situation that he'd found himself in and he still wanted the jewel for himself. This time he wanted to use it to become a full demon. When I told him that he couldn't have it," Kagome trailed off.

"The idiot tried to kill you," Shippo said, finishing the sentence for her, "That was how he ended up with the subjugation necklace. You know sometimes I wish I could have seen the look on his face the first time you used it on him?"

"That was the last thing I was paying attention to at the time, trust me," Kagome replied dryly. Shippo found amusement in the oddest things at the strangest times, this was one of them. "Anyway, I ended up keeping the jewel, but through a strange set of circumstances it ended up getting shattered which led to me and Inuyasha coming to a truce of sorts so we could find the shards."

"And that is where you met up with your comrades," Lady Caterina indicated with a nod of her head. The scroll had specifically mentioned the fox, but strangely enough there had been nothing written about the green toad-like creature. That wasn't necessarily surprising however, legends had a tendency to change over time and there was a chance that the demon had been forgotten. He certainly didn't look very powerful.

"Yeah, I joined up with them shortly after they began the search, but Jaken here was never a part of the group. Instead he followed Sesshoumaru around and it was only after the final battle that we developed any sort of working relationship with each other," Shippo explained, there was no way in hell that particular demon would have stuck around for that fight with Naraku. He would have run the first chance he'd gotten.

Tres, who had remained silent up until that point put forth a question of his own, "How did Naraku survive the final battle without any of you knowing?" Usually it was easy to determine whether a body has vital signs or not so he needed to know what had been different this time? What had given Naraku the advantage when the scroll had said they retrieved the jewel?

"I didn't even realize Naraku had survived until I had returned to my own time," Kagome replied bitterly, "I returned home one day to find that the bastard was in my home and had taken my family hostage. Of course he demanded the jewel be returned to him, but that was impossible, I'd made a wish and it had vanished, but he thought I was lying. I was forced to watch as he tortured and killed them one by one until I was the only one left and when it was clear that I wasn't going to give him the jewel, he tied me to the Goshinboku and turned me into a human torch. All these years I've been unable to move on, tied to the shrine by the guilt of not being able to stop him from hurting them and now... Now I find out that he's somehow managed to find the jewel again and he's already begun the killing. He won't stop, not until he's destroyed everyone who can stand against him." By the time that she was finished speaking her body was shaking with the pain and the rage of the guilt she'd been holding in for so long. Shippo reached for her, but there was nothing that he could do, not even offer her the comfort of his arms because his hand passed right through her.

Father Nightroad's eyes softened considerably and he wished that there was something that he could do to take the pain from her. However, there was little that he could do and he knew it. "If you know that Naraku has the jewel then you must have a reason for coming here. Is there something you can do to help us stop him?" He was certain that there was in fact something that she could do, after all, Naraku had given every indication that she'd done something to disrupt their fight. It was just a question of what it was and if it would end up being enough.

"There is, but to help you, we need your aide in return," Shippo said, getting straight to the point, "Kagome's influence in this form is limited at best. She needs a new body in order to put a stop to the bastard."

"I'm afraid that's beyond our capabilities," Lady Caterina said with a sigh, "Prayer, while helpful, will not allow her to pass into the afterlife and reincarnate. The most we could do is an exorcism, but then there's no guarantee she'd return to Earth and even if she did, it could take years." No, that would take far too long and by then hundreds of people would have died.

"I was afraid that you'd say that," Shippo replied, his gaze holding the woman's easily, "and I'm afraid that's not an answer we can accept. You see, Nariyuki corporations was the one to produce the first working cyborg. Our company pioneered bioengineering. While we might not have ventured into the cloning aspect, we kept close tabs on the technology as it was being developed. Just like we've kept aware of who still maintains the knowledge of what's supposed to be lost. Namely, the church."

The indignation rolling off the woman was palatable and Kagome knew that Shippo was treading a fine line. Taking a chance, she decided to step in and she prostrated herself in front of the woman, "Please, your Grace. I realize that this is a lot to ask and if the situation weren't so dire we wouldn't be here. I had accepted my fate, to endure it at the place of my murder, reliving the memories of what happened to both me and my family. But Naraku cannot be allowed to live, this cannot continue. Without the help of a powerful miko, there's no stopping him. While you might find someone that can hurt him, the jewel will step in and keep him from dying. Only I can purify the jewel, but I cannot do that the way I am now."

Shippo watched the scene unfolding and his heart ached for what Kagome was putting herself through, all in an effort to appeal to the good that they knew lay in this woman. "Kagome," he whispered sadly.

"I... I do not ask this for myself," Kagome whispered and stared up into the Cardinal's eyes, willing her to believe what she was saying, "I do this for you and everyone else who might be affected by Naraku. How many more people have to die because of a mistake I made? Please, give me the chance to set things right. I have to stop him. Please."

End of Chapter Four


	5. Chapter Five

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

_**Chapter Five**_

Sister Esther had only just gotten off the airship a couple of minutes ago and already she could tell that the message that she'd received hadn't been an exaggeration. The Pope was deathly ill and so far nothing could be done to cure him. She still couldn't understand why someone would wish to attack him in such a fashion. What had he done to warrant such a vicious attack? _'I just don't understand; things were going so well, but now...' _It was a very real possibility that Alessandro would die and most of the treaties that had been formed would be in danger of falling apart.

_'We won't allow that to happen, we can't. There has to be a way to hold it all together, we just need to have faith that he won't die.' _But that wasn't the only casualty of the person who had attacked him, the Empress lay in the same ward, slowly wasting away from the same disease and even she was not immune to the effects. Esther didn't even want to contemplate the bloodshed that would follow Seth's death. The vampires would take it upon themselves to eradicate every human in the Empire, just like they'd wanted to do for years.

"Father Nightroad, where are you?" she whispered into the darkness. Even after all this time she still had a hard time finding her way around the compound. _'At this rate it will be dinner time before I find him.' _

"Sister Esther Blanchett, you are looking for Father Nightroad?" Father Tres asked, causing the woman in front of him to spin around in surprise.

"Oh! Yes, Father Tres. Might you know where I can find him?" Sister Esther asked politely while trying to calm her racing nerves. Sometimes she was certain that she'd never get used to him moving about so quietly.

"Positive, Father Nightroad is speaking with Cardinal Sforza at this time and they have sent me to retrieve you," Father Tres said flatly, "Follow me, I will take you to them."

Sister Esther nodded and then fell in step beside him, "News travels fast around here, and I just got off the airship."

"Positive, a messenger arrived the moment the ship landed. We've been expecting you," he replied and continued leading the woman down the correct hallway. He knew that the Cardinal had made her decision as to whether or not the church would provide a new body for the priestess they'd brought in for questioning, but she refused to inform the girl before Sister Esther had arrived. This concerned her after all.

"I'd thought as much, the message I received said it was urgent that I come so can you tell me what's going on?" Esther asked quietly. She was almost half certain that it had something to do with the Pope's current condition and the Cardinal wanted to ensure that the treaty they had with Albion would remain in place. In which case she would quickly put their fears to rest.

Father Tres shook his head, "Negative. The current situation must be explained by Cardinal Sforza, I cannot break protocol." As it was, they were all under strict orders not to breathe a word of this to anyone and that included even their team mates. Everything was on a need to know basis and the Duchess was the one making that decision.

Sister Esther repressed a sigh, "I see. I guess I can understand that. We wouldn't want to break the rules now, would we?" Aside from a sideways glance, she didn't get a response from her companion, not that she really expected one anyway. Fortunately, he'd brought her exactly where she needed to be and without another word she stepped through the doorway into the Cardinal's personal office. "Your grace," she said politely in greeting, "It is good to see you again."

"Sister Esther, I'm pleased that you could return so quickly. I have a favor to ask of you," Lady Caterina began, not knowing just how the other woman would react to what she was about to request.

"Of course, how may I serve you?" Sister Esther replied immediately. It wasn't often that her imminence would asked for favors and that alone spoke of the importance of the situation. The other woman's face had the slightest traces of worry and hope lining it and a quick glance over to Father Nightroad revealed even less.

"You were informed of the attack and the identity of the person who perpetrated it," Lady Caterina began, "provided you read the missive all the way through you know that the one responsible is in fact a demon."

Sister Esther nodded slightly, "It came as a surprise, but if your sources are reliable I see no reason to dismiss it. Is there something that I can do to help you stop this monster?" Demon or not, she was of the opinion that the one who did this should pay for the assassination attempt. She didn't hold the same ideals that Father Nightroad did; she wasn't above killing if the situation called for it.

"In fact there is," Lady Caterina said and gently placed her hands upon the surface of the desk, "we've located someone who has experience with the demon and knows how he works. Even better, she holds power over the artifact that he is using, but there is a rather large problem."

"What is it?" Sister Esther asked, running scenarios through her head. _'Perhaps they need sanctuary while they prepare to fight this monster. If he's as powerful as they say, it will take quite a bit of preparation to defeat him.'_

"The problem is that she died over a thousand years ago," she replied and then held up a hand to forestall the barrage of questions that was sure to follow, "What we need to do is recreate her body. Before you ask, yes, we can in fact do it, but there is a catch and this is where you come in. Since she was a priestess of considerable power, the body that is created has to have the ability to possess that power otherwise the energy will destroy it from the inside out. This eliminates quite a few of the donors that we would go to for the DNA sample we would need."

"And you want me to do it since I do have some talent?" Sister Esther asked, taking a guess at what this favor was. While her abilities weren't exactly anything extraordinary, she wasn't completely devoid of them either. When the blonde seated across from her nodded, she agreed, "Of course, just tell me where it is that I need to go and I'll do it." Giving up some blood or some hair wasn't a big deal, especially if this priestess would be able to fight the demon as the Duchess believed.

"You have my gratitude," she replied sincerely and stood up, "Come with me and we'll begin the procedure. Normally the process to grow a body takes months, but with her power, I'm not sure how it will effect it."

Sister Esther gave the woman a slightly surprised look, "She's that strong?" This was actually all news to her, she'd never heard that it was possible to clone a human much less do it within a few months, but for someone's soul to be so strong that it could actually alter the amount of time it took? The possibilities were staggering.

Lady Caterina nodded and led the red head down the hallway towards the room she'd instructed the priestess and her escorts to wait, "If one is to believe her story, and I do, then yes she's that powerful. Her story is convincing and we've found documentation from the past that leads us to believe she is telling the truth."

"I see," Sister Esther replied after a moment and followed the taller woman into a side room. Immediately her eyes widened seeing the two strange beings sitting there staring at her. _'What... are they?'_

"Sister Esther, may I introduce you to Mr. Shippo Hakashi and Jaken. Kagome is here as well, but at the moment we cannot see her," Lady Caterina said to get the introductions out of the way, and then she looked directly at Shippo, "We've come to a decision and we've decided to grant your request. It will take time to accomplish, but we will get started immediately. If all of you would follow me, I will take you to the medical ward where we can begin."

"Oh thank God," Kagome whispered fervently, thanking every deity that she could think of for granting her the chance to put things right. Eagerly she followed the woman out of the room with Shippo and Jaken trailing closely behind her, bringing up the rear.

Quickening his steps, Shippo caught up to the Cardinal and looked at her in his peripheral vision, "Thank you for giving us the opportunity to take this bastard out."

"Just make sure that you do so and we'll consider it even," the Cardinal replied quietly and then led them down a hallway to the left. While they'd been waiting for Sister Esther to arrive, a vague idea had been forming in her head, but she wasn't sure whether or not it would pan out. Naraku had already done so much damage that was potentially irreversible, and desperately she was trying to come up with a way to undo it all. "Tell me more about Kagome's ability to travel through time."

"Well, Kagome always traveled through the well on the shrine. Most of the time she needed fragments of the jewel in order to get the portal to work, but there were a few occasions that she was able to go through without them, why?" Shippo asked curiously, wondering just what the woman was thinking. For a human she was extremely intelligent and he was not about to underestimate her.

"Call it curiosity," she replied thoughtfully, "does this portal still exist?" Since the journey to the feudal era had ended centuries ago, the Cardinal had her doubts, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Shippo shook his head and sighed, "No, the war destroyed both the shrine and the well. The only thing that remains now is the Goshinboku, but that's a powerful entity all its own. Once when Kagome was separated from us, stuck in her own time, she used it as a bridge through time and was able to communicate with Inuyasha. Somehow I'm not surprised though considering that the well was made of wood from the tree." Of course the instance that he was referring to was just another example of Kikyo's and Inuyasha's stupidity. Either one of them should have seen that Kagome was a necessary part of the group and put their divided feelings aside.

"That is a pity. Naraku was not able to acquire the jewel again until he ripped it out of Sister Kate. If the priestess was able to return to the past yet again, the demon would be considerably weaker and easy to kill," Lady Caterina speculated, as it was she wasn't even sure just how successful Kagome would be against Naraku in this time. The group that had battled the demon in the past was no more and she was well aware of how ineffective modern weapons were against the beast.

"Huh," Shippo grunted, considering the idea, "It's not a bad plan, especially considering that if it were to take her back there's a good chance that Inuyasha and the others would still be alive. Even though five hundred years had passed for Kagome, time moved differently between the eras. But with the well gone that makes things more difficult. I suppose we could rebuild the well quickly enough if we needed to, it wasn't anything particularly elaborate and I know exactly where it was." Hell, if he were to be honest the hole still existed, even after all this time. It was just that the wood had long ago rotted away and he'd never bothered to replace it. There just wasn't any point since Kagome was dead and the portal had sealed.

"Hm, it might be worth a shot. We'll be losing a couple of days that could be spent hunting Naraku, but if this works then it'd be worth it. We already know that Inuyasha and Kouga will be willing to help hunt him down, along with your human friends," Jaken said, joining in with the discussion, "If they're able to defeat him in the past then everything that's occurred so far will be erased as if it never happened, including the miko's death." Unspoken were his thoughts of his lord living once again, but it didn't need to be added anyway. Already there was an air of anticipation in their eyes and he could see that they both liked the idea.

"Very well, once the revival is complete you will travel with Kagome back to Japan and see if you can find a way to return her to the past. I'll send a team with you to ensure that you have no trouble while you're out there and if it works, they'll go with you. Perhaps then when Naraku is without the jewel they'll be more effective and will aide you in the fight," Lady Caterina said, her mind working out the details behind this little experiment. While she would suffer the loss of two of her team, it was also insurance that the mission was in fact accomplished. If Kagome died in the past there would be no way for them to help her, but they could ensure that Naraku paid for his crimes. It was just a question of who to send.

Before Shippo could make a comment on the decree, Father Nightroad stepped away from the spot that he'd been leaning against the wall. "I will go with her and lend my strength in the battle against this demon," he stated firmly. When the Cardinal looked as if she would protest, he held her gaze without wavering, "The Empress is declining rapidly and I'm afraid that she may not last the week. I must do something; I was the one who failed to protect her."

Suddenly it became all too clear to Caterina and with a sad sigh, she gave in, "Very well, Father Nightroad." She fell silent then, trying to determine who would be the best to send with him. Many of her operatives had been left in the dark about the revival process they were about to attempt and explaining it to them all to get a volunteer would take time. Not to mention, each of them would have pressing reasons for wanting to remain and there was no telling if they'd even be able to come back if they were to make it through the portal. Eventually she came to the conclusion that there was only one real choice, even though it saddened her to know that she was potentially sending the both of them away for good. "I will send Father Tres with you since he already knows the situation. It will save time in explanations, not to mention you already trust each other to some extent."

There was also the added factor that in every instance of fighting Naraku in this time, the killing doll had been powerless to stop the demon because of the jewel. In the past, however, his weapons would be more effective and she trusted him to carry out any order he was given. This brought her back to the Crusnik standing in front of her. She understood perfectly why her friend was volunteering for this duty, it was his sister laying on her deathbed, and he felt guilty over what had happened. Truthfully, she sympathized with him since Alessandro was lying next to her and was not expected to live through the night. Although he might be her brother, Caterina had to be strong since he could not. The time for mourning would come later.

"Thank you," Father Nightroad replied sincerely. This would give him the means to save his sister and it didn't matter if he would have to travel into the distant past, he would take it eagerly. He knew that Father Tres would not object to the arrangement either since it was likely that Lady Caterina could be targeted next. Even though his partner was a cyborg, he had the capability to feel some emotion even if it was slight and the ability to think beyond the orders he'd been given. That combined with the girl's desperate plea earlier in the day to avenge her family's death would be enough to gain his aid. Her words had struck a chord with them both and they'd do everything they could to help her in this fight.

Throughout the conversation Kagome said nothing. Honestly, she had no idea if what they were planning would even work to get _her_ back to the past much less anyone else. The only one who had ever been able to travel time with her had been Inuyasha. Shippo would not be able to accompany her since his younger self was alive in that time. The only one who had the slightest possibility that she could see would be Father Tres and that was because she got the distinct impression that he wasn't completely human. His manner of speaking was off, not to mention the little bit of an aura that he did give off was so muted it was as if it wasn't even there.

Kagome was snapped out of her musings when they were led into a brightly lit room that she could only assume was the medical ward. Immediately her attention turned to two people who were lying on beds with intravenous lines sticking out all over their bodies. But most striking of all was the black aura of Naraku's miasma that covered them. "Oh my God," she whispered softly, horrified by the picture they presented.

Those softly spoken words had Shippo stopping in place and looking at her in concern, "What is it, Kagome?" When she didn't answer he followed her line of sight to the two pale people laying on the beds and his brow furrowed, "They're covered in Naraku's taint and it's stronger now than it was before."

"I know," Kagome replied and made her way to their bedside, "but it's not directly from him. It's almost as if it's... from a separate entity. A detachment perhaps."

"It was," Father Nightroad joined in on the conversation even though the others were oblivious to what the miko was saying, "The diseased monster separated from his body. It attacked the Empress first and then His Holiness. Unfortunately we have not been able to stop the plague from progressing."

Nodding in understanding, Shippo moved over to the bed as well. This wasn't an area that he could aid in, but perhaps Kagome could, "Can you help them or is it too late?" More than once she'd had some luck in purifying the taint from the unfortunate souls that Naraku had come across, perhaps this time would be no different.

"I can try," Kagome said after a moment's contemplation. Since the Empress was closer to her, she laid a pale hand on the woman's arm and allowed it to pass through her flesh. Her eyes flew open wide and she stared at Shippo in surprise, "She's not a human, but not a demon either. Is she one of the Methusela that you've mentioned?"

Quickly Father Nightroad made a decision concerning the information that needed to be given. It was taking a risk but he couldn't expect a doctor to treat a patient with unknown complications any more than he could expect it of Kagome to treat a being that she knew nothing about. "She's a Crusnik, to be precise, she is my sister. Have you knowledge of our kind?" If they did he'd be surprised, considering that there had only been four of them conceived.

Kagome shook her head, but to everyone's surprise, Shippo nodded, "A Crusnik is a higher form of vampire, one that feeds on the weak of its own species. You were specifically engineered with the nanomachines discovered on Mars. Am I correct?" Even though the question had been asked, he knew that he was right. He and Sesshoumaru had made it their business to know about every being that held power equal or greater than theirs.

"I'm impressed, not many know of us," Father Nightroad said quietly although he wasn't exactly disturbed that the kitsune knew either. The man was intelligent and cunning; he had to be in order to keep the existence of demons a secret. There were those within the church who would wage a war against them just for being different.

"It's my business to know these things," Shippo said with the slightest shrug of his shoulders before turning his attention back to Kagome, "They possess no demonic energy if that's what you're wondering and they're not akin to the vampires that used to be spoke of in fiction. There's a chance that you would be able to heal her if you tried," he said and then turned his attention to Father Nightroad, "but there is also a chance that she could die. As it is now, the plague will consume her. There's no hope if we do nothing. Are you willing to risk it, Father Nightroad? If the healing fails there is still the backup plan of returning to the past, assuming it works. But it's still a risk, which will you choose?"

"Do it," Seth whispered from the bed and turned her head to face her brother's worried gaze. Pain wracked her body with each breath that she took and merely laying there was an agonizing experience. She hadn't believed the doctors when they'd assured her that they would find a cure, she could see the worry and resignation in their eyes. If there were a chance that she could be freed of this pain whether it was through a healing or a quick death, she'd take it. "Please, Abel, let them try."

For a moment Abel said nothing and just stared into his sister's eyes, trying to determine if she was lucid enough to even make the decision, but the pain he found there erased that thought. Whether she was or not, she was hurting and if they were willing to trust in Kagome enough to destroy Naraku, why wouldn't he place his faith in her to heal his sister? "Go ahead," he said finally and then whispered a brief prayer to God to watch over his sister and aid Kagome in her efforts.

Kagome nodded and placed her other hand on the woman before closing her eyes and beginning to focus the power she controlled. She could feel the miasma that had caused the disease flee from the immediate area, but she was not about to be thwarted so easily. "No, I will not fail this time," she whispered and increased the amount of healing energy she was pouring into the slight form, uncaring of how exhausted she would be later.

The others watched quietly as the pink glow began to envelop the Empress and Kagome attempted to do the impossible. The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife and no one even dared to breathe. Yet hope began to form in each of them as they stared at the Crusnik laying upon the bed. Already her appearance was changing and the open wounds which had formed on her skin were beginning to heal.

"She'll be fine. Kagome won't stop until every trace of the disease is gone," Shippo whispered over to Father Nightroad, confident in Kagome's abilities. Finally the glow faded from the Empress's body and the woman slipped back into slumber. "She'll be asleep for a while," he said, quick to reassure them that she was indeed okay, "it's a common side effect from such a healing. She'll be awake in a matter of hours."

But Kagome wasn't paying any attention to what they were saying. Although she was tired, there was still one more person afflicted and she couldn't rest until he was healed as well. Carefully she laid her hands upon him and was immediately greeted by a wave of energy similar to her own, even if it wasn't anywhere near as powerful. The energy flowed quickly from her hands and she found that this time it wasn't taking so much focus to control. Perhaps it was because the man upon the bed was human, she really didn't know nor did she care. All that mattered was that Naraku's poison was being destroyed with a ruthless accuracy and soon, none of the taint remained.

Lady Caterina could only stare at her brother who was now free of any traces of the disease. Now more than ever she was convinced that Kagome could indeed help them and she would do everything in her power to ensure the miko had everything that she needed. "Thank you, Kagome," she said, looking over in the direction she knew the woman to be.

"You're welcome," Shippo said, answering for her since there was no way that the Cardinal could hear her anyway. "We should get started, after a session like that Kagome won't be able to do much except rest and recover her energy."

To this Kagome laughed weakly, "Right now I wouldn't be able to project if my life depended on it... Well you know what I mean." It warmed her heart to see these people happier than they had been. Now their families are safe and would remain that way, if she had anything to say about it.

"Right, then let's get started," the Duchess said and began leading them into another room where she knew the doctor would be waiting. When they entered the room it was no surprise to see Father Tres standing there, especially since he'd been the one to inform the doctor of the procedure they'd be undertaking. Fortunately the man didn't ask any questions and began laying out the instruments that would be needed.

"Sister Esther, if you don't mind would you enter room one and put on the gown that's waiting for you please?" The doctor asked and began to prepare the syringe that he would need to anesthetize the area that he'd be making an extraction from.

"Of course," Sister Esther replied before disappearing into the room that he'd specified. While she wasn't quite certain that she understood why she needed to get undressed, she wouldn't question the doctor's instructions.

Curiously the doctor raised an eyebrow in her direction, "She seems rather calm about the whole thing. Does she know what the procedure entails?" Somehow he doubted it seeing that this practice was only done on extremely rare occasions and it wasn't common knowledge.

Shippo snorted, "I doubt it, but I'm sure you'll do a good job in explaining to her just what it is that you plan to do." He could only pray that she wasn't particularly squeamish about needles, the length of the one the doctor was preparing to do the ova extraction was long enough to make even him wince.

The doctor resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the vote of confidence and waited patiently until Sister Esther stuck her head through the doorway to announce that she was ready. "Nurse Wilson, if you please. Let us begin the procedure," he said and gathered his instruments with the woman following closely behind him.

Hearing the door open, Sister Esther looked up and smiled seeing the doctor enter along with his assistance. "So," she began with just a trace of nervousness, "what is it exactly that we're going to be doing?" A quick glance at the tray revealed a couple of different syringes of various sizes, all which made her eyes widen. However, she knew that some sort of extraction would be necessary. _'They probably just need blood or at the most, they'll remove a section of skin like a biopsy.'_

"I'll explain the procedure as we work, I understand that time is of the essence," he said gently, trying to reassure the girl, "I need you to lay back and relax; we'll try to get this over with as quickly as possible." The procedure they were about to perform was quite simple and common, the first half of it anyway. What was to follow, however, is where things became interesting and infinitely more difficult.

Taking a deep breath, Esther laid back against the bed as requested and watched with genuine curiosity in her eyes. Moments later the nurse approached and began to push up the top to the gown they'd asked her to wear. Once her stomach was exposed she was rather shocked when the woman began to slide the pants down until they were resting rather snugly across her hips. A vague idea came to her mind of just what they were after, but she wasn't going to make assumptions. After all, weren't the best places to remove skin for grafts and other related procedures from the hip and buttocks area?

That notion was quickly erased when the nurse took an iodine pad and began swabbing her abdomen. Before she could process this new information, the doctor was advancing upon her with the smaller of the two needles.

"Just relax; you'll feel a couple of tiny pricks in a moment. This is to numb the area so you won't feel the second needle," the doctor said quietly, sparing her a brief look to make sure that she wasn't going to leap off the table. Quickly he pierced the skin and injected the first of the local anesthetic. The slight hiss of pain she gave off lasted only a few moments, and by the time he'd injected her twice more her skin didn't even twitch. "Very good, you did well. We'll just give this a couple of minutes just to make sure that it's working and then we'll proceed to the next step," he said and then walked over to the ultrasound machine they'd be using next.

_'They can't be serious,' _Sister Esther thought while she watched him power the machine up and begin inputting her information. Although she'd never been through anything like this before, she had a pretty good idea of what was going on now. That was only confirmed when the doctor returned and applied a massive amount of lubrication to her abdomen and began smearing it around.

"Nurse Wilson, if you please," the doctor said, gaining his assistant's attention. Once she was in proper position he applied the probe to the patient's body and began moving it around. A detailed image appeared on the screen and within moments he'd found what he was looking for. "Everything looks to be in working order here. Of course, the ova isn't completely ripe, but for what we're doing that doesn't exactly matter," he said quietly, "Nurse, if you would hold this position we'll begin the extraction."

Sister Esther watched with wide eyes as the doctor picked up the longer syringe. This one had a clear fluid in it and one of the longest needles that she'd ever seen. _'Oh my God!' _It was tempting to bolt off the table when the doctor brought it closer to her body, but she knew that everyone was counting on her. _'I can't let them down but oh... this is going to hurt!'_

"Take a deep breath and relax," the doctor ordered. This was by far the worst part because while the skin was properly numbed, they really couldn't do much for the muscle underneath and no matter what they tried, there would still be some level of discomfort. Some women brushed it off as if it was nothing and others swore they were being killed. As gently as he could he pierced the skin and began forcing the needle deeper into her body, its destination the ovary which would provide them with the egg they needed.

Sister Esther bit her lip and tried to keep from crying out in pain when the needle began piercing through her body. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before as she could literally feel it when it passed into her abdominal cavity. _'It hurts! Oh God, please make it stop!' _Her eyes squinted shut and her hands gripped the edges of the bed, waiting for it all to end. There was no way in hell she was even going to look at the screen to see the needles advance, if she did there was a good chance she was going to get sick.

Finally the needle reached its destination and the doctor smiled, "We're almost done, just another couple of moments." Slowly he pulled back on the plunger and began the collection. More than one egg was taken to ensure that they didn't have to go through this procedure again and once he had enough, he began withdrawing the needle. "There, it's done. You did well, sister," he said, his voice warm with approval.

Letting out a shaky breath, Esther opened her eyes to see that the doctor was setting the syringe down. Already the nurse was working to clean her stomach of the lubrication before applying some gauze to the hole that had been left in the needle's wake. "Can I go now?" she asked shakily.

"In a few minutes perhaps. Just lay there and relax for a bit, give the bleeding a chance to stop and your stomach to settle. If you move now you're likely to get nauseous," the doctor advised quietly. He'd seen it far too often where young women thought they could bounce right off the table, expecting that they wouldn't be affected by the drugs that had been injected only to find out how wrong they were.

For a moment Esther thought to ignore the warning, but when she attempted to sit up her stomach lurched violently. "Maybe you're right," she whispered miserably and ceased moving. _'I hate doctor's offices. I always come out feeling worse than when I went in.'_

_The Next Morning_

Father Nightroad stood before the door to the room that their guests had been installed in the night before after the procedure. There had been no point in waiting around afterwards because the doctor would need to begin the process of cloning which would take hours. Now the embryo was ready though and they could not wait much longer. To do so would give another soul the opportunity to enter and they'd be back at square one. Quickly he brought his hand up and knocked on the door, knowing that they'd already be awake. Before he'd bid them farewell the night before he'd informed them that he would be coming by as soon as they were ready to begin the next step. When the door open, he smiled brightly, "Good, you're awake, Mr. Hakashi. Everything has been prepared, now all that's left is for the soul implantation."

"Right," Shippo replied and stepped through the doorway with Kagome following closely behind, "Look, since you're coming with us on the upcoming trip I think we can drop the honorifics. Just call me Shippo, okay?" He'd never been one for formalities in the first place and he didn't see the need for it now, no matter what Jaken said.

To this Father Nightroad smiled, "As you wish, Shippo. Most dignitaries are not so gracious and we must take care not to offend them. I'm sure you're aware of the conflicts that have arisen because of such trivial things." They moved quickly to the medical building, not bothering to stop and exchange pleasantries with the people they passed, not that he minded all that much. Nor did it appear that the demon at his side was displeased about that little detail. He couldn't blame him; this wasn't a pleasure walk to be certain.

"That's because the human race doesn't need a reason to fight," Shippo replied absently. It was just one among many stupid reasons that wars had come about and he was sure that there would be worse reasons in the future that they would have to deal with.

From the side, Kagome scoffed, "Right, like the demons are much better. What was the reason we were told that Inuyasha's father went to fight Ryukotsusei again? Pissing rights over who the stronger demon was and who stepped on whose territory? Oh and let's not forget the reason that the bat demons almost destroyed that village, because one of their precious sons consorted with a human female. Never mind the fact that they actually wanted the child and took her from her mother. It was just the fact that the humans breathed the same air and they needed to die. I don't think that the demons as a race have any room to look down their noses at humans because of war." If they wanted to posture about how much stronger they were that was one thing because in many ways it was true, but she wasn't going to sit there and let that particular comment go unchallenged.

At the sour look that crossed Shippo's face, Father Nightroad couldn't help but chuckle, "Traveling with the both of you is sure to be interesting. Do the rest of you get along so well?" He was almost looking forward to this trip for another reason other than hunting Naraku; he rather enjoyed listening to how freely these two expressed themselves. It was a vast change from how stiff most of the people he worked with were.

"Are you kidding?" Shippo looked at him with a wry grin, "we actually like each other. If you actually manage to get back into the past you might well wish you never went. The arguments between Kags and Inuyasha were... heated to say the least."

"I'm sure things can't be that bad," Father Nightroad replied with amusement. If it was that bad they probably wouldn't have worked that well as a team and things would have fallen apart rather quickly. But he'd find that out later, for now they had to get to that point. Stopping in front of the door, he looked to the kitsune, "Are you ready?"

"Yep, let's get this thing started," Shippo said and walked through the door, knowing they'd follow him in. As expected, the doctor was standing nearby waiting on them. "So this is it, huh?" he asked, staring at the cylindrical chamber that was filled with a clear fluid. Against one side there was a pulsing mass of flesh that had been connected to wires that ran into a separate closed chamber. _'That must be what will serve as the placenta for the time being. Now where is the embryo?'_

Seeing the red head peering intently at the tissue, the doctor smiled, "Amazing isn't it? Truly a medical marvel if I do say so myself. The embryo has already implanted within the placenta, you see the light tan spot towards the center?"

"Ah, I see it now," Shippo said and then looked over to Kagome. Even she was staring at it in awe, as if she couldn't believe that it was finally happening. "Are you ready, Kagome? We'll need to focus our energies together and then let me guide you down the path to your new body."

"I'm ready," she whispered and allowed her eyes to close. It took several moments to clear her mind long enough to slip into a trance before seeking out the familiar energy of the kitsune she'd spent so many years with. When she touched the blue aura, it was almost like feeling his arms wrapping around her, protecting her from the outside world. That's when she let herself go, trusting in him to guide her.

Silence filled the room while Father Nightroad and the doctor watched to see what would happen and suddenly the kitsune was enveloped in a soft blue glow. Then tendrils stretched out, reaching for something before wrapping around what had to be Kagome's spirit. And then, they were able to see her, but this time there was no hint of pain on her face. Instead she looked at peace with her eyes closed and the way her hair flowed gently around her. It was like nothing they'd ever seen before.

"Amazing," Father Nightroad whispered before the image of the girl vanished from his sight. Now all that was left was a softly glowing sphere which was being guided into the tank where it slowly sank into the embryo and then vanished from sight completely. "Did it work?" he asked once Shippo had opened his eyes again.

A large grin settled on Shippo's face and he nodded, "It did. Now the rest is up to Kagome and the jewel. Kagome knows that we're short on time so she's going to try and tap into the Shikon through the bond that she has with it. If it works, we should notice a definite change within the next few hours. If not, we've got a long wait ahead of us." Something told him though that the souls within the jewel weren't any happier about being in Naraku's possession than they were and in the end, Kagome's plea to them for help would he granted. But until they knew one way or another, it was best not to get too hopeful.

Within the tank, Kagome relished in the feel of actually having a form again, even if it was little more than a speck of flesh. The sensation was one that she'd forgotten over the years and she knew that it was going to take some time to get used to again, but with luck, she'd have all the time she needed. Right now though, she had a job to do. Carefully she felt for the bond between the Shikon and her soul, using the most delicate of spiritual touches so as not to alert Naraku. _'If he has any clue about what we are attempting, he will attack again to ensure we fail. I have to be careful.'_

The spirits within the Shikon responded almost instantly and she instinctively soothed away the agitation she could feel roiling off of them. The separation had been hardest on them and she could actually feel the resentment that she'd been the one to banish them from the mortal realm, away from her.

_'I'm sorry.'_ she thought to them sadly. Never had she thought about the souls within as having the ability of conscious thought. Now though she realized that the only time they were truly at peace was when they were with her, taking comfort in the soothing presence that her soul provided.

_'I want to help you, will you help me so I can do so?' _It would be so much harder to accomplish what they planned without the jewel's assistance which meant that they'd be separated for that much longer. Carefully she imparted the information to them, imparting to the souls the urgency of the situation and then prayed while waiting patiently to see what their answer would be.

"My God," the doctor whispered, staring at the monitors. There was an immense energy surge that was going straight off the charts. Quickly he spun around and faced the chamber which immediately gained the attention of the others. "Look, its working!"

"Is that?" Father Nightroad asked, staring at the chamber intently. It was obvious that the embryo was growing at a far more rapid rate then was normal. It was amazing watching the changes taking place right before their eyes.

Quickly Shippo nodded and rested his hands against the glass, "She did it, she tapped into the power of the Shikon." What had been a speck the size of a pea only a few minutes before was now the size of his fist and still growing. At the rate that she was going there was a good chance that she'd be ready to come out of the tank within a few hours.

"I must inform the Cardinal," Father Nightroad said, making his excuses and leaving the room. Quickly he walked through the corridor, hoping to catch her before she had started the meeting with Cardinal Francesco over the Pope's remarkable recovery. They were keeping the information on what changed a secret from the man, not wanting to know just what his reaction to the demons would be. Fortunately luck was with him and he spotted her alone in the hallway. "Oh thank heaven I found you!" he said once he'd caught up to her.

Lady Caterina arched an eyebrow at the man by her side. As of late it had been rare to see him so happy over something and she couldn't wait to hear what it was, "You have news I take it?" She'd known that the plan for the morning was to implant Kagome's soul within the embryo and while she wanted to be present for it, she'd been forced into making sure that the reports for the latest deaths were in order so she could present them at the meeting with Francesco.

"Yes, Kagome's spirit is now firmly in place and she's tapped into the power of the jewel. We need to make the preparations to return to Japan, if things keep progressing as they are she'll be ready to go within two days time," Father Nightroad replied in a whisper that did nothing to damper his excitement.

Relief filled the Cardinal upon hearing this. It was wonderful news that put them one step closer to defeating the menace that was plaguing them. "I'll see to it. Speak of this to no one beyond those that already know and make whatever preparations you need in order to depart. I'll arrange an airship to carry your team to Japan under the pretenses of finding an artifact that may take care of the incursions we've been experiencing. I must go quickly lest suspicion be aroused that Francesco would demand be explained."

"Agreed, I'll inform Father Tres of the development and begin preparations to leave. Excuse me," Father Nightroad replied and then went to go find his team mate and inform him of the plan. After that he had supplies to procure since while they were ready to go at a moment's notice, Kagome would have nothing in the way of clothing or equipment. _'Oh I hope she's about as tall as Sister Esther, I should have gotten her dress size before she entered the chamber.'_

_The next day_

"Is she ready to come out yet?" Shippo asked quietly while looking into the tank, his gaze sweeping over that of his friend. Carefully he placed a hand against the cool glass and a smile came to his face when Kagome mimicked the action with an impish grin. Jaken had long since stopped coming as soon as she'd reached a respectable age, saying that seeing her unclothed was indecent. Personally, Shippo didn't care one way or another. After living with Kagome for so long, neither of them really had much in the way of modesty around the other. Hell, he still remembered bathing with her when he was a child so how was this really any different?

"In just a couple of minutes," the doctor replied and kept his eyes trained on the monitor. This final stage always seemed to take forever because he had to ensure that her vitals were in a stable enough area that pulling her out of the tank wouldn't send her into shock. Of course that was generally more of an issue with a younger patient which she was not. As it was, he was pleased to see that while they were slightly elevated, they weren't into dangerous levels. Most likely it was due to the fact that Kagome knew she was getting out shortly.

Suddenly the level of fluid began to recede and Shippo held his breath, watching her head break the surface. _'Amazing.'_ he thought to himself, taking in her appearance. Really, he couldn't even tell that she had to have a body made. With the exception of the scars that had littered her body before, as far as he could tell she looked the same. Finally the liquid was gone and he was getting rather impatient with how slowly the doctor was being, "Alright Doc, you've got the gunk gone now raise the damned glass already."

Kagome would have laughed at the anxiousness in the kitsune's voice if it hadn't been for the fact that she was attempting to take her first breath in several hundred years. She'd almost forgotten she needed to expel the liquid that she'd been floating in and she really didn't feel like choking. So she coughed and spit the gunk out of her mouth, not caring if she looked particularly lady like or not. Only then did she breathe in deeply, enjoying the fact that she could do so at all.

The grinding of gears filled the air and suddenly the glass chamber began to rise, leaving her seated upon the wire grate. The rush of cool air made her shiver and wrap her arms around her nude form. "Shippo," she whispered. The sensation felt familiar, but strange at the same time. _'You wouldn't think that just because I've been using mind speech that it would feel so strange attempting to speak again.'_

For a moment Shippo wasn't sure exactly what to do, but then common sense kicked in and he snatched up a towel that had been laid nearby. "Here, we need to get you dried off and someplace warm," he said and draped the material over her shoulders in order to keep her from getting chilled. Carefully he knelt down and put his arm around her waist, "Lean on me and we'll get you off the floor."

Keeping a firm hold on the towel, Kagome rested most of her weight on the red head and allowed him to guide her to her feet. However, if she'd thought that her first attempt at walking was going to be easy she was wrong. Almost immediately she stumbled, and if it had been for Shippo's arm holding her up she would have fallen flat on her face. "Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed that something she'd once taken for granted had become something so difficult.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it's going to take some getting used to," Shippo replied gently, not in the least bit flustered by her lack of grace. Truthfully he had been expecting something of this nature. It had to be beyond awkward finding oneself in an unfamiliar body and then be expected to master it within the first five minutes of having it. "Just take it one step at a time and remember I've got you."

With her cheeks slightly flushed, Kagome allowed herself to be led over to a nearby chair and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally got a chance to sit down again. Her gaze went to the ceiling just over the tank and she snorted, who in the hell would place an air vent directly over one of those things? What were they trying to do, freeze her?

Sister Esther waited just long enough for Shippo to get the priestess seated and then cleared her throat. "Alright, I'm sure that you're concerned about her, but you need to give her a few minutes to compose herself," she said clearly and jerked her head towards the door. When the men in the room turned to stare at her she narrowed her eyes, "Out! Shoo, you can't possibly expect her to feel comfortable sitting there naked in front of you all."

Hearing this had Shippo rolling his eyes in irritation, "I'm well aware of what Kagome needs and she wouldn't object to..."

"It's fine, Shippo," Kagome replied and put her hand on his arm. She knew that he was just being concerned, but really, she did want to take the chance to dry off and maybe get dressed or barring that, find a blanket to wrap up in. None of those things she could do easily with a kitsune super glued to her hip.

Sighing heavily, Shippo nodded, "Fine, but I'll be just outside the door so if you need me, yell." Seeing her nod, he stood up and began walking towards the door. The doctor was already moving as well with a clipboard in hand, but Father Tres had yet to budge. "Aren't you coming?" he asked after a moment.

"Negative," Father Tres replied, barely sparing a glance at the demon. Instead his attention was trained on the priestess and Sister Esther who was attempting to shield the girl from prying eyes.

"Whoa, wait a minute. Why do I have to leave and you don't?" Shippo growled beneath his breath, not liking this new development. _'Fuck, she's not even alive more than an hour and I'm already going to have to beat the perverts off of her? I'd say he was Miroku's reincarnation, but he hadn't tried to grab her ass yet.' _

"Cardinal Caterina's orders. I am to remain with the priestess until we board the airship to prevent any attacks," Father Tres said calmly, clearly not intimidated by the look that he was being given. Catching a glimpse of the girl naked was not a question and it didn't concern him. Protecting her from any possible attacks that might come on the other hand, was.

"I'm countermanding those orders, Kagome will be fine without having a watchdog on her ass for five minutes while she gets dressed," Shippo countered quickly. Kagome's safety was up to him and there wasn't any way in hell someone was getting past that doorway with him guarding it. Besides, if he were to allow anyone close enough to take advantage of her he'd have both Inuyasha's and Kouga's ghosts haunting his ass. That thought was enough to make anyone's skin crawl.

Now Father Tres turned to look at Shippo impassively, "Negative. You do not have the authority to countermand those orders. The sooner that you leave, the sooner she can get dressed, and you can return."

"Enough already," Kagome snapped, fed up with the whole posturing thing going on, "Shippo I know you're just trying to look out for me, but please, I'm freezing here and the longer you two stand there arguing the better chance I have of getting sick." Once she had the kitsune looking guilty enough she turned her gaze on Father Tres and narrowed her eyes, "And you. I don't care what orders you have. Don't bait him and for God sakes stop talking like that! It's enough to drive a person mad."

The short tirade was enough to set Sister Esther off and soon her soft laughter filled the air. In all her time at the Vatican she'd never seen anyone speak to Father Tres in such a fashion. Most people were intimidated by him and went out of their way to avoid him. With the exception of those who knew him well, she couldn't remember anyone pointing out the stilted way that he tended to speak. The ever so slight raising of his eye brows just kept her laughter going. _'I don't care what people say, he feels something and I bet he doesn't know what to think about being told off by a woman.'_

"Oh why can't people take me seriously?" Kagome muttered beneath her breath, it would figure that her... _'What is she to me now? My twin?' _would think the entire situation was funny. "Go ahead and laugh while I catch a death of a cold," she said and grabbed a second towel from a table within reach. Ruthlessly she began toweling off her hair, nearly groaning when she realized just how long it was now. _'Okay, first thing is to get a second set of clothes and the second is a pair of scissors. I don't see how Sesshoumaru could deal with this much hair every day, but I don't intend to find out.'_

"It's because of our height," Sister Esther replied after taking a moment to somber up, "people used to underestimate me all the time as well. Not so much anymore, but it still happens from time to time. Do you need another towel?" The one that was being used on her hair had to be soaked by now; she couldn't imagine the weight of it all.

"Yeah, thanks," Kagome said as she passed her the wet one, and then accepted the new towel eagerly. The vigorous toweling resumed and she was only slightly surprised when she felt another one running quickly over her shoulders. Soon enough she was dry and looking forward to seeing just what it was that she'd be wearing. "So," she began, "what sort of clothing am I going to be running around in? I hope someone remembered I'd need clothes because if it was up to Shippo I might be running around in a towel."

"Well, we weren't sure exactly what to get you," Sister Esther said quietly, "Father Nightroad ask me to accompany him into town to go shopping. Unfortunately, there really isn't any Shinto shrines left where we could get miko robes and neither of us thought you'd feel comfortable in our attire. So we settled on normal, commoner clothing. I hope that's alright." What had made things more difficult was the unknown height factor. Now though it was somewhat reassuring to see that they were similar in height, if not in build. The tops might be a bit tight on the girl she was helping, but not overly so.

"Oh no, that would be fine. I don't mind a bit, thank you," Kagome said quickly. The idea of being in a nun's habit didn't particularly sit well with her, but it would have been better than nothing. She'd have to thank Father Nightroad for thinking about her since it was obvious now that Shippo hadn't. Eagerly she accepted the bag that was now being extended towards her and reached into it to withdraw a light blue, long sleeved blouse along with a pair of black slacks. A smile slowly spread across her face seeing the choices, "This is far better than what I wore the last time I went through the well. Sometimes I have to wonder what the hell the school principle had been thinking when he'd picked a skirt that short for a uniform. Wait... no, on second thought, I don't think I really want to know."

"Well then, why did you keep wearing it?" Sister Esther asked, confused as to why she'd put up with something if it was truly that revealing._ 'Perhaps it's the differences in cultures? We really didn't learn much about the Japanese in school.' _Then again, they'd never really needed to.

That question stopped Kagome in her tracks, why had she continued to wear that hideous uniform? Unable to come up with an answer, she shrugged, "Force of habit I guess. I never really thought about it." Carefully she slid a pair of underwear over both feet and pulled them up her legs as far as she could. "Can you, help me up here?" she asked. She wanted to put the clothing on, but she wasn't too keen on falling on her face either. With the woman kneeling in front of her she wouldn't be that great of support and Kagome didn't want to be held responsible for flattening her.

"Sure thing," Sister Esther replied and helped the girl to her feet. Kagome's balance was wobbly, but she held her steady while she pulled the undergarment in place and by the time she was finished, she'd seemed to get a slight handle on it. "Are you ready for the pants?" she asked after a moment, hesitant to let her go long enough to grab the next garment.

"Yeah, just don't let go please," Kagome said and waited for the black material to find its way into her hand. It was a more difficult accomplishment getting them on with her already standing up, but she managed without falling. "Hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this," she said with a slight chuckle and peered at the tag on the bra and then looked down at her own chest, "Uh, I don't think that this is going to fit exactly."

A slight laugh of embarrassment came from Sister Esther, "Yeah, I'm afraid you're probably right. We weren't sure what size to get you so we had to guess. We can go and get more later on, but we should probably hurry. Your friend will be worrying if we don't call him inside soon."

"Yeah, I know. He's a bit overprotective, but I can't say as I blame him," Kagome said with a sigh. She could still remember the look of anguish on his face when he'd found her body tied to the Goshinboku and what was worse, she hadn't realized that she could speak to him until much, much later. Even then it had been completely accidental on her part, but she had been glad that there was at least someone in the world who would know the truth of what had happened.

"It must have been hard," Sister Esther replied quietly, thinking about how difficult it must have been with being unable to move on after such a horrific death. While she hadn't heard the whole story, she'd learned enough. Without really thinking about it, she handed the priestess the blouse and waited for her to finish getting dressed.

With a nod of thanks, Kagome took the garment and slid it over her shoulders, working carefully at the buttons. It'd be weird running around without a bra on, but she could live with that. "It's not one of my fondest memories. I mean, it was bad enough watching my family die and by the time it was done I was ready to die, but... I hadn't thought about what Naraku would be doing after that. I didn't count on Shippo coming for me either, I thought if anyone would it would be Inuyasha, but I suppose that he never had the chance. The well sealed upon my death and sometime before Naraku had found me he'd killed my friend."

"If this works though you'll get to see him again right?" Sister Esther asked hopefully, "I mean, it'll be before Naraku came back to hurt anyone else and if your friends know that he didn't die, it should stop it all from happening."

"That's the theory," Kagome said hopefully, "You know I'd never really questioned how the well worked before. Could it have been a spell of some sort? Or maybe it was the tree. Either way though, I'm not entirely sure if it'll work since it was destroyed." In fact she was extremely dubious that there was even a chance, but to outright ignore the possibility would be foolish.

"Kagome." Sister Esther began quietly, "Over the past couple of years I've seen many things that were too shocking to believe. Vampires have always been a part of our lives but... I never thought I'd see a being that was powerful enough to destroy them without much of a fight and Father Nightroad was the one to show me that truth. I'd also never believed it to be possible for a human to be grown in less than a day to become the body of an ancient, powerful priestess who had the power to cure someone with a disease so horrific I was sure that they would die. I believe you when you say you could travel through time. You've done it once; I have faith that you'll do it again." It was the truth too; she had to believe that if anyone could take care of the new menace it was Kagome and her friends. Father Nightroad and Father Tres would be there as well, making sure that Naraku perished like he'd been meant to all those years ago.

"She will," Shippo replied from the doorway, his tone firm with his conviction, "there's no way in hell she'll allow that bastard to live again. One way or another, it will end." It was nothing short of the truth since Kagome knew what the stakes were should he survive. Now she wasn't just fighting to take the jewel, she was going to be fighting for the survival of her family, not to mention the friends that had survived to this time.

Firmly, Kagome nodded, a smoldering anger reaching her eyes, "Even if it means giving my life a second time, I won't allow him to escape again. He will pay for everything he's done; I'll make sure of it." Failure this time was not an option.

"It's good to see that you feel so strongly, but let's not contemplate dying a second time since we just got you back," Father Nightroad said cheerfully from the doorway. He'd just come in on the last of the conversation and now more than ever he was certain that they'd made the right choice. But before they could expect the girl to do anything about their enemy, there was much they had to do. Confidently he walked towards the girl and held out his hand while smiling gently, "Enough of that for now. We should see about getting you something to eat and then finish preparations. I'm not sure what sort of foods you prefer, but I'm sure that the cooks here can accommodate your tastes nicely."

_The next day_

By Gods she was tired, but Kagome knew that there was no helping it she literally had no choice. Even though Shippo had all but ordered her to lie down and get some sleep, she'd forced herself to stay up most of the night to get the hang of walking again. _'Oh I think I've got bruises in places I didn't even know I had.' _A groan escaped her lips as she allowed her head to fall back onto the cushion behind her head. She'd hoped to get some sleep on the trip to make up for it, but then Shippo had decided to corner her with some lunch and insisted that she eat. Unfortunately she was far from hungry and wearily she pushed the plate away.

"I told you not to push yourself, Kags," Shippo replied with just a hint of impatience, but it was nearly hidden with concern. He understood why she was pushing herself so hard, but really, she had to be careful. He'd thought she was going to break her neck more than once and the fact that she rebuffed his help after a while had hurt.

The urge to roll her eyes was nearly overwhelming, but for the moment she was able to refrain. "I told you, I can't afford to laze about like a lump on a log. What do you expect me to do, get to the feudal era and ask Inuyasha to carry me everywhere?"

"He would if you asked and you know it," Shippo replied testily, "Look, Kagome, I know why you have to do it and I understand. But if you hurt yourself in the process you're not going to be doing anyone any good. If you won't take it slowly then dammit, at least accept my help next time!"

"And what about when I get back to the feudal era, Shippo, what then? Do I have to remind you exactly how old you were back then? I appreciate the concern, but I'm not going to be able to rely on you to save me from myself when we get there and have you even thought about what Inuyasha's going to say when he finds out I'm as clumsy as a two year old?" Kagome snapped and then immediately felt guilty. She couldn't take out her frustrations on her friend, not after he'd been there for her for so long. Sadly she looked up at the demon, ignoring the way the other occupants in the room that were looking at them both with apprehension, "Look, I know you're worried, but this isn't something that I can ask you to fix. Naraku is going to be looking for any weakness to exploit and I can't afford to be a burden to the group. You know he'll use me against everyone else if he thinks he can."

"I know, Kagome, but I promise we won't let that happen. It's okay to lean on someone else for a while," Shippo replied and ran his fingers through his hair, "If only there was some way that I could go with you. At least then I could give that old dog a swift kick in the ass if he says something he shouldn't." Of course, there was the possibility that he wasn't giving Inuyasha enough credit, he could be sensitive, on occasion, it was just getting him to tap into that side that was the hard part.

"If?" Kagome snorted in amusement, "You mean when he says something that he shouldn't. He had less in the tact and diplomacy department than Kouga did, who are you kidding?" Oh, she could just see his reaction now as clearly as if he were sitting directly in front of her. "He's going to go from disbelief, to shock, then to anger and guilt. " I'm going to be lucky if he doesn't shake me like a rag doll while screaming how stupid I was to get myself killed like that."

"And this is one of your friends?" Father Nightroad inquired curiously. He couldn't exactly see someone grabbing the girl and shaking her silly for something that couldn't be helped, but by the way that they were talking; he was the type to do just that.

To this Jaken snorted, "If he could be called that. I'm not sure what these two fools ever saw in him, but he is one of the crudest, uncouth... Ack!" he squawked when a fist came down on top of his head courtesy of the kitsune sitting next to him. "Why you little brat! How dare you manhandle me in such a... Ack!"

"Enough, Jaken," Kagome said with a shake of her head, "You might not have liked Inuyasha, but that was because you had your lips permanently affixed to his brother's ass. Since Lord Sesshoumaru could barely tolerate his existence I would have been surprised if you had liked him. Instead you parrot whatever your lord said. Give it a rest before Shippo decides to see if you really can fly or not."

"In answer to your question, Father Nightroad, yes, Inuyasha is one of our friends," she said, turning her attention to their two companions who had remained mostly silent since they'd left the Vatican that morning. "If things go as planned you'll get to see for yourself, he's rather rough around the edges, but that's to be expected with everything he's gone through in his life. He's actually a sweet guy underneath it all, just misunderstood." Of course, if the hanyou had been present, at the moment, Kagome knew he would have scoffed at the idea of being called sweet, and then said something rude just to ruin whatever impression she was trying to give their new friends.

"Then I look forward to meeting him," Father Nightroad replied and looked out the window to the ground below. As far as the eye could see there was nothing more than trees and mountains which was a distinct change from the water they'd been crossing only a short time ago. "So when we get there," he began, "how are you planning to open up the portal?"

"Very carefully?" Kagome replied with little amusement, "Truthfully, I'm not certain. The well was the portal itself, but the more that I think about it, the true key was the wood it was made from. The Goshinboku is ancient and was standing proud even when the first legends were recorded upon the scrolls. When you step onto the shrine grounds you can feel the power surrounding the area and it all comes from the tree."

"We already know it's a bridge, as well since Kagome was able to speak to Inuyasha when she was trapped on her side of time. The Goshinboku answered her plea to speak with him once before, perhaps it will do that and more this time," Shippo said, although he was careful to keep his hope in check. The best that she could do is pray and see if the Gods would respond.

"Ah, so there is no special ceremony that must be performed then," Father Nightroad said to himself. He had to admit that he didn't know that much about the Shinto religion so this was all new to him and therefore quite interesting.

"Not particularly, Kagome's powers have always worked on an instinctive level for the most part. When she asks, generally the Gods respond," Shippo said carefully. He didn't want to give them the impression that Kagome was a miracle worker either. It was generally all or nothing with the girl; she couldn't just call up her power at will. It didn't work that way.

Father Tres had been watching quietly from across the room, filing away bits and pieces of the conversation for examination later. For now though it was time to begin the second stage of the plan, they were almost at their destination. Calmly he walked up to the four and began to speak, "Prepare to depart the airship; we will be above the target in five minutes."

"Above the target? What do you mean by 'above the target'? I see no port around here," Jaken muttered and peered out the window, looking for any sign of civilization yet there was none.

"We... sort of decided to bypass the port since it would take so long to hike to the shrine. This will be faster," Father Nightroad replied with a slight grin which faltered when he saw the stunned looks he was being given, "Don't worry, getting off the ship won't be that bad."

"And just how do you expect us to do that?" Kagome asked, unsure if she really wanted to know. Having lived in that immediate area for so long she knew that there wasn't really an area that would be suitable for landing a ship as large as the one that they were in.

Weakly, Father Nightroad chuckled and stood up from his seat, "You'll see. Grab your bags and we'll go up to the deck, we'll be able to get down easily from there." The suspicious looks on his companions faces told him they already had an idea of what was happening, but he wasn't about to inform them any sooner than necessary.

"If you don't mind, Father, you can get the bags. If we're doing what I think we're doing I'm going to have my hands full anyway," Shippo replied blandly and moved to pick Kagome up. This time, however, she didn't protest to being carried and he didn't blame her. If his suspicions were correct they were about to take a fifty foot drop off of the damned airship. He and Jaken would be able to handle the leap easily enough, but Kagome would not. _ 'Neither should either of our two traveling companions for that matter. I was right; they are more than they appear.'_

Father Tres didn't bother waiting to see how they were getting themselves sorted. Instead, he grabbed two of the nearest bags which contained the food supplies that the Cardinal had sent with them and began walking to the deck, knowing that the others would be following closely. For now he steered his mind away from the Duchess and how she'd come to the decision to send him along on this mission. He would do as he was told, if only to make her happy.

"Well then, it looks like Father Tres has a handle on that. Shall we?" Father Nightroad asked and then directed the others to follow his partner. Quickly he walked behind them and smiled when the scent of fresh air hit him. It was far cleaner than what he was used to, no doubt because there wasn't the cities pollution to deal with. The scenery wasn't bad either, if a little overgrown from what he was expecting. One tree stood out to him though, standing several feet taller than any of the others, "Is that the Goshinboku tree that you mentioned?"

"It is, but something is wrong with it," Kagome said quietly, studying the tree carefully and then switching her attention to the foliage surrounding it, "Do you see it, Shippo?"

"Yeah, they're starting to wilt and it's the wrong season," Shippo replied uneasily. Since it was the middle of spring there was absolutely no reason for the plant life being in such a state. While the wilting was barely noticeable, it was there none the less and within a couple of days he was willing to bet the leaves would be falling from the trees. Something was desperately wrong and since the Goshinboku was showing the greatest amount of damage, he was almost certain that Naraku was behind it somehow.

Jaken stared at the miko and kitsune with his brow furrowed, "What would cause something like that to happen? You don't think Naraku beat us here somehow, do you?"

Biting her lip, Kagome shook her head, "I don't think so. As far as we know he believes there is no reason to come back here. I think it has more to do with the Shikon, I can feel it in my soul." It was faint, but it was there, the pain and anger the souls within the jewel were experiencing because of the death and destruction that Naraku was using it for. If the tree was indeed tied to the jewel then the negative energy might well be affecting it. In the past, Naraku had never obtained the complete jewel much less held it in his possession for so long.

"We should hurry then, there's no telling just how long it takes before things start going to hell and the tree isn't even here any longer," Shippo replied, his voice tense with the uncertainty and anger he was feeling, "Hold on tight, Kagome."

Immediately Kagome tightened her arms around Shippo's neck and closed her eyes. She could feel his body tense and then he leapt off the edge like it was only a ten foot drop. _'Oh God, I think I left my stomach up there.' _

"Wait, you brat! How am I supposed to get down from here?" Jaken yelled after the kitsune. There was no way in hell he was going to just leap off the side of a ship, he'd become road kill once he reached the ground.

Father Nightroad took one look at the small demon and sighed before grabbing a hold of Jaken's robes. Once he had a firm grip he jumped as well with Father Tres only seconds behind him. The wind rushed passed and for a moment it actually felt as if he had somehow managed to defy gravity and was now weightless. But the feeling passed rather quickly and before long he'd landed on the ground, impacting heavily enough that he was forced to roll out to absorb some of the shock which had Jaken bouncing across the grass like a rubber ball.

Shippo on the other hand landed lightly and chuckled when he saw that Kagome had her face buried in his shirt, "Hey, Kags, you can look now."

"And to think at one point I liked going on roller coasters," Kagome said with a groan and allowed Shippo to set herself on her feet. For a moment her balance wobbled, but she managed to catch herself before the kitsune even thought to make a grab for her. "Well, is everyone alright?" she asked, looking carefully over the other four before her gaze finally settled on Father Tres. She still hadn't managed to figure him out as of yet, but she supposed there would be plenty of time for that if this worked.

Seeing the priestess staring at him Father Tres straightened up, "Positive. Departure was successful, now we must proceed to our target." Although what the woman had said was true about Naraku not having a reason to be here, that didn't mean they could afford to let their guard down. They needed to get to the tree and begin the process for time travel right away.

"You're right," Kagome replied, "Shippo, do you want to lead the way?" The tree couldn't be far off, but Kagome knew better than to trust her navigational instincts to even attempt finding the tree at this point. Now that she was closer to the foliage she could see the definite damage being done to the plant life and a lot of the smaller saplings were already dead, altering the appearance of the area.

Shippo nodded and peered ahead at the path, it shouldn't pose too much of a problem for the miko to traverse, "Let me know if you need help. Let's go." With that he began to set off through the undergrowth, taking care to avoid some of the more overgrown areas.

Seeing the others ready to leave without him, Jaken quickly rolled to his feet and began hurrying after them. _'Oh what did I do to deserve this?' _As if it wasn't bad enough that he was now nursing a lump on his head from being dropped so unceremoniously, now they were attempting to leave him behind. "Wait for me, dammit," he said indignantly.

"How about you try to keep up instead, or are you getting too slow as well as senile?" Shippo called back over his shoulder. Hell, even Kagome was doing better than the toad at this rate. "How did you ever manage to keep up with Sesshoumaru all those years? I'm surprised he didn't throw you off a cliff a time or two with all the complaining you do."

Kagome sighed when Jaken began to protest against the kitsune's accusations. Sometimes she believed that they baited each other out of some sort of misplaced affection for each other. "Enough you two," she said wearily, "we're here." And it was about time too, they were beginning to get on her nerves. With a tired smile she looked at Father Tres, "Can I have the smallest of the bags please?"

Nodding slightly, Father Tres dropped the larger of the bags and handed the miko the one that she'd requested. Carefully he watched her as she rummaged about the items that were contained inside. "What are you planning to do?" he asked after she pulled several things out.

"I'm going to appeal to the spirit of the Goshinboku. Many times I listened to my grandfather and learned the ways of making offerings to the spirits in the hopes that they would accept your request," Kagome replied offhandedly and set a silk clothe upon the ground in front of her. A charcoal incense burner was positioned in the center and from there Kagome laid out the rest of her materials before lighting it. "These are shokoh, or granulated incense. In keeping with my grandfather's teachings, Miroku once taught me the usage of them since they are used commonly in Buddhist ceremonies. Believe it or not, each one is a mixture of different ingredients, with each scent having its own purpose."

"I thought you said we wouldn't be having a ceremony though," Father Nightroad said, curious as to what purpose this served. When Shippo had asked for these particular things it had been impossible for them to find and ultimately the kitsune had been forced to call on some of his own contacts for the items.

"It's really not a ceremony so to speak, but an offering. In order to perform a true Buddhist ceremony here we'd need to find a monk of true talent and somehow I doubt they're in abundance around here anymore," Kagome said quietly and picked up a few granules out of the first tiny package sitting in front of her.

When the first of the tiny grains hit the burner a thin tendril of smoke rose and a sweet scent very similar to vanilla filled the air. "What's that one supposed to do?" Father Nightroad inquired, watching the girl's graceful movements with interest.

The smallest of smiles crossed Kagome's face then since she really didn't mind the questions. "It's called Ansoku-kho and it's meant to sooth and comfort. The Goshinboku is in pain as you can see; this will hopefully reassure the spirit that we are indeed here to end its suffering." At least that was the hope at any rate; she couldn't be certain just how successful it would end up being in the long run. Slowly she reached for the second package and untied the knots carefully, "This one here is Jin-koh, and it will aid me in the process of meditation. It has great properties of relaxation."

"I remember when Miroku explained this all to you," Shippo said with a smile, "Inuyasha thought it was pointless to be learning these things since you weren't going to convert to Buddhism." Yet even though the hanyou had called it stupid, he had been listening just as intently to the explanations as Kagome was.

"I think it bothered his sense of smell more than anything else," Kagome replied absently, concentrating on the task at hand. Her friend had paid close attention until Miroku had gotten to the part where he demonstrated the proper way to light the incense and fan the smoke over your body. Then the hanyou had excused himself after having a bit of a sneezing fit. _'Poor Inuyasha, he was complaining about the smell for days.'_

"Fascinating, we use incense on occasion, but it's mainly for blessings," Father Nightroad chimed in. The differences in the religions were quite noticeable, but interesting to witness all the same. "So what must you do now?" he asked after she'd added the final scent to the burner.

"I need you and Father Tres to kneel beside me, each a pace back from where I am and then clear your mind. If you must do anything, feel for the spirit of the Goshinboku, and allow it to guide you," Kagome instructed quietly, allowing her eyes to close. She heard the two men moving into the position she asked and then she brought her hands together twice, clapping in order to ensure that the Gods were listening.

It was simple to allow herself to sink within a trance and reach out to the Goshinboku, it almost seemed to reach out to her in welcome. Images flew through her mind, showing her just what Naraku was using the jewel for and the bloodshed was staggering. The demon was absorbing any beings he could that contained the slightest amount of power, clearly intending that his next assault on the Vatican would be the last one. _'Please, show me the way to the past so that I can help you. I know you have the power Goshinboku, return me to the past where I can defeat Naraku and bring about the end to the pain and suffering he's inflicting upon you and the rest of the world.' _Suddenly there was a jolt of awareness that went through her soul and she just knew that she'd been forcibly connected with the Shikon jewel once again.

_'I am pleased that even through all you've endured already, you haven't given up, child.'_

Kagome looked up and stared at the woman standing before her, instantly recognizing who she was. Long ago she'd once seen her likeness and although it was dark within the cave, she knew that she'd never forget that face. "Priestess Midoriko, it is an honor to be in your presence. How may I serve you?"

_'I think you know the answer to that already or you would not be here. Tell me, child, are you willing to do anything to ensure that Naraku perishes?'_

"Of course," Kagome stated with conviction, "he has been allowed to remain on this Earth for far too long, and the suffering has been great. He must be stopped at all cost."

Midoriko gazed at Kagome steadily, weighing her soul and was pleased to not find it lacking. _'You realize that the cost to you will be great, but is it one you are willing to pay? Should you succeed you do know that you will be unable to return to your own time, you will not regain what has been lost to you.'_

"I understand," Kagome replied softly, "Since I am returning to the past, once Naraku dies history will be rewritten. I'll have already returned home, but with Naraku gone, I will not die as I had before which means I'll be unable to go home." Saying this she looked up at the ancient miko and met her gaze unwaveringly, "It doesn't matter though. My family is dead to me now and I would rather live in the past knowing that they are safe than allow things to continue as they have been."

_'And what of your companions? Do you speak for them as well?' _Midoriko asked quietly. To send Kagome back to the past was no easy feat even for one such as herself and if the two men with her wished to go as well, there would almost certainly be consequences.

Kagome gasped upon feeling both Father Tres and Father Nightroad appearing behind her although neither of them had moved yet. "I cannot speak for either of them, but they have been affected by Naraku as well. Perhaps asking them if they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary would be better than asking me," she said quietly, not daring to look over her shoulder at either of them.

Father Nightroad wasn't certain who the woman standing before them was, but he could feel the power radiating off of her, as well as the reassuring aura that she gave off. "If you're asking if we're willing to do anything necessary to ensure Naraku's demise, the answer is yes. Do whatever it is that you need to do, we will not fight you," he replied calmly and waited to hear what she would say to his claim.

_'Even if it means you will never again see those you care about?' _Midoriko challenged the man who had spoken to her of killing so easily. A dark aura surrounded him and she could see that he wasn't altogether human, but underneath it all she could sense his determination to do his duty, whatever it might be.

"Even if it means we must remain in the past. We've said our goodbyes and they realize that we may not be returning," Father Nightroad said quietly, but with conviction. As much as it would pain him to leave his friends behind for good, he would do so if it meant that they would be safe in the long run. That was the only thing that mattered.

_'I see.' _Midoriko replied and turned her attention to the other male, studying him carefully. _'Then we have a problem. To grant Kagome passage is one thing since she has a connection to the jewel itself through her soul, but in order for the two of you to pass, she'd have to be connected to you as well.' _

For a moment Father Nightroad said nothing and considered the consequences of just what such a joining would mean. _'Soul siblings then is it?' _That idea didn't bother him in the least, the only true worry that he had was that somehow his powers would affect the girl. '_It shouldn't matter, so long as she doesn't receive the nanomachines then she would remain unaffected and even if she had, there is a good chance that her powers would rebel and destroy it.' _Covertly he gazed over at the girl to gage her expression, but for once she was making an admirable attempt at remaining completely neutral. There wasn't a reason to look to Father Tres either, he'd been given his orders and would do everything required in order to see them accomplished. Hardening his gaze, he looked to the ancient priestess, "Fine, do what you must."

_'So determined.' _Midoriko mused, critically examining the man's resolve. _'Yet that only solves a portion of the problem. Had the well remained intact, that would be the only issue, but it is not. You will be able to pass, but your friend will most likely have to remain behind.'_

"Negative," Father Tres interjected, "My orders are clear. I will accompany Father Nightroad and the miko Kagome Higurashi to the past to defeat Naraku. This is not negotiable, make the connection." He hadn't failed to notice the way she'd phrased her words and by saying 'most likely,' he knew that she had a way to make it so he could traverse time as planned. Should the priestess refuse, they would abandon this course of action for the time being in order for him to contact the Cardinal and inform her of the situation.

_'Even if it means the destruction of your very being and everything you know to be true about yourself?' _Midoriko asked serenely, unflustered by the way he'd all but demanded she do as he said. There was no room for petty posturing in times like these; she needed to know just how far they were each willing to go in order to succeed.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Kagome asked her expression one of concern. _'Just what is she playing at? Why would she threaten him for only wanting to help?' _Something just didn't add up and she couldn't think of one reason why being soul bonded to her would harm him. After all, she shared a similar bond with Inuyasha through the subjugation necklace and he hadn't been adversely affected.

_'Exactly how it sounds, child. Your protector here is not human, not in the traditional sense anyway. The technology that humans have unleashed upon the world has created many things, including the killing machine that kneels next to you.' _Midoriko gazed sympathetically at the man in question. Times had changed greatly over the years and she'd been forced to watch most of it, unable to act on the knowledge that she'd acquired. It was against the Gods to create one such as Father Tres, a man that couldn't be called a human, but in possession of a soul nonetheless due to the organic body parts he'd been given. To transport him through time would have been simple if only the well had been in place, but what they would be attempting was so much more. Living flesh was needed in order to traverse time and should she attempt to move him as he was, there was a good chance he would be destroyed, not merely left behind.

"This again?" Kagome whispered, her eyes closing in anger, "What difference does it make as to what he is? I've argued for years that demons were no different from humans once you looked past their abilities, despite the belief that they were evil. I've stood against those who would wish them dead just because they were something that humans could not understand." She then opened her eyes and stared at the translucent woman before her, "What about him is so different then? I sense no youki from him so he cannot be a demon. Is he a vampire and that's why you threaten him now? If that's the case then we're finished here, I don't know how, but I'll find a way to defeat Naraku here."

Midoriko sighed and moved closer to the girl before kneeling in front of her. '_Child, you mistake my words and unknowingly twist them into something different from what was intended. Your protector is not human, nor demon and certainly not a vampire. He's a machine, yet, still in possession of a soul which means that there are certain parts of him which must be alive. However, that small amount is not enough for him to traverse time as he is and to attempt it might well destroy that small part of him. Yet, there is another way, but to do so will change him forever. I will not take that step without his agreement.'_

"Explain what you mean, Priestess Midoriko," Father Tres said, his gaze boring into the spirit who had spoken so plainly. The entire conversation had not been what he'd been expecting and Kagome's defense of him left him the slightest bit surprised, even though it failed to show in his expression.

_'I'm surprised you haven't figured it out for yourself.' _The thought was laced with amusement and the smallest of smiles crossed Midoriko's face. While the cyborg staring at her was intelligent, his way of thinking did not leave much room to explore just what the Shikon could accomplish. Seeing the look of impatience on Kagome's face, she sighed. _'Allow me to explain. You know that Naraku is killing for power, using the jewel to accomplish what he could not do on his own?'_

"Would we be here otherwise?" Kagome muttered beneath her breath, wondering just where this line of questioning was going. _'Why can't I just get a simple answer to a simple question for once?'_

_'Good point, child. But what you haven't realized is that with each life that Naraku takes while using the jewel, the death and power absorption in turn makes the Shikon stronger. It is a continuous cycle which is what makes Naraku nearly impossible to beat while it is in his possession. However, he cannot sever the tie your soul holds to the jewel and through that tie; you can access the power whenever you have need of it.' _Midoriko watched the light of recognition dawn in the Father Nightroad's eyes with amusement. _'At least he isn't slow on the uptake, no matter what his appearance would lead one to believe.'_

"This is why the process of giving Kagome a new body went so quickly. It should have taken months, not just the day that it ended up taking," Father Nightroad replied thoughtfully. They'd pretty much thought that was what the miko had done, but they believed that it was a hit or miss possibility. Learning that she could tap into that power whenever she needed could prove to be helpful. _'But with the jewel gone in the past, is it even still possible?'_

Midoriko nodded slightly, _'Indeed. That is precisely why the process went so quickly and by the same token, the power of the jewel could be used to turn your companion into a human. But before that decision can be made, you all must realize that once it is done there's no going back. A being such as himself should have never been created in the first place and I only offer this option as a means of righting a wrong. It was beyond cruel for them to strip him of his own thoughts and emotions, leaving him as nothing more than a tool to destroy countless lives. What say you, Father Tres? Will you take the opportunity that I am offering you to become human or will you deny it and return to the Vatican while these two take up the task of destroying Naraku?' _

At the moment, Kagome wanted nothing more than to protest the absurdness of the situation and say that he was just fine the way that he was, but she couldn't. She didn't know the man and couldn't begin to imagine what it was like to be one without emotions or feelings. This... was only something that he could decide for himself, but she worried. _'Will he do it because he truly wants to or only because he sees it as his duty?'_

Contrary to what the ancient priestess had said, Father Tres was not completely unfeeling. He'd felt sympathy with Elise when she'd begged Father Nightroad to kill her because she only brought death and destruction to those she met and in the end, he had been ordered to end her life. Yet in those final moments he'd been unable to do so and had directly ignored the orders he'd been given. No, he was not completely unfeeling; yet, he could not feel to the same extent that most humans did.

The entire situation had thrown him another emotion he never thought to experience, uncertainty. Did he want to be able to experience it all and become more than what he was? He'd never even considered the possibility before and had been perfectly content to lead his 'life' as he had been. In the end though, the reasons behind his decision would come back to the fact that the Cardinal had given him orders to do everything in his power to accomplish the goal and for her he would do anything, even if it meant becoming human, "I accept your offer, priestess. Carry on with the procedure so we can resume the mission," he stated calmly and waited to see what would happen next.

Midoriko nodded slightly and ignored the startled looks on both Kagome and Father Nightroad's faces. Slowly she stood and advanced upon the other male, stopping only when she was directly in front of him. _'This will hurt, but bear through the pain, it will be over soon.'_

Father Nightroad stared through widened eyes when the ancient priestess laid her hands upon his partner's shoulders and began to chant, allowing the power to flow into him. The reaction was immediate and Abel could see the pain lines that appeared on his friend's face. Yet to the man's credit he didn't cry out, even as it became apparent that the pain was increasing. _'Hold strong, Father Tres, God will see you through this trial and I pray that your pain will end quickly.'_

The air that surrounded him became stifling and the intensity of the energy around him began to skyrocket with each passing moment. It was strange, although his body had been able to interpret certain data as pain before it was nothing compared to what Father Tres was feeling now, leaving him helpless against the onslaught. Determined not to give voice to his agony, he dug his nails into the palms of his hands and tried to ignore the new sensations coursing through his body even though it was a battle that he couldn't hope to win.

"Father Tres!" Kagome cried out when the man collapsed to the ground and began shaking uncontrollably. Before anyone could make a move she scrambled the few feet over to his prone form and turned him over, although, it took an immense amount of effort on her part. She could hear Father Nightroad hurrying over as well, but she didn't bother to spare him a glance. Instead, she focused on the man in her arms and one look at his face revealed that his body had succumbed to unconsciousness in order to cope with the new sensations. Yet still Midoriko hovered over him and continued to pour the energy of the Shikon jewel into his body. "Stop it," she shouted when he began to convulse in her grip, "you're going to kill him!"

_'Be at ease, child,'_ Midoriko cautioned and then pulled her hands away, causing his thrashing to cease almost immediately. It was done, at least as much as she could do for him. Altering his body had been the easy part; it had been trying to repair the damage to his brain from the merger with the machines that had caused difficulties. Ultimately, she was forced to leave that piece of him largely alone because they just didn't have the time. _'He'll be fine; he just needs a few moments to recover.' _It was her devout wish at this point anyway since a pulse when through the jewel, and she was almost certain that Naraku had noticed now the considerable drain that she'd put on the Shikon. If he figured out what was going on he might well take measures to stop her from sending them into the past. _'We don't have much time; I must finish the soul bond and send the three of you back. I wish you well and... Good luck.' _

Kagome stared at her for a moment and saw the concern in her eyes, directed solely at the three of them. Slowly she came to the understanding that as painful as the process had been for Father Tres, it couldn't be helped under the circumstances. They had to go, there just wasn't any time left. "Thank you for your help, Midoriko" she said quietly. Unsure of what was to come next, she pulled the unconscious man closer to her body and began running her fingers through his hair to soothe him. The last thing she wanted was for this to set off some sort of convulsions, he'd come close enough to that already. However, there was nothing to be concerned about and she watched in wonder as her soul grew, spilling out of her new body, and reaching with fine tendrils towards the man in her lap and Father Nightroad, who had moved until he was seated only a few inches away from her.

While he was concerned for his friend, the mist that began to spill out from the miko's body had Father Nightroad staring in surprise, "Kagome! You're... glowing!" Not only that, but an answering mist began to rise up from Father Tres and began mingling with the soft pink glow that Kagome was giving off. _'Their souls are joining and Father Tres looks more at peace. I wonder if it's a side effect of the bond or if it's just his body adapting to the changes.' _

"Yeah well, if I had my compact handy I'd let you use it. You're glowing too," Kagome whispered with the slightest trace of amusement. Now that Father Tres had calmed and she could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest she wasn't quite so panicked. Her eyes calmed and she concentrated on the gentle pulsing that coursed through her body as the bond formed, accepting it into her being. Awareness came to her then of the other two beings and she smiled. The feeling was similar to what she had felt the first time with Inuyasha, but had been too inexperienced to know what it was. Now; however, she instinctively knew that when danger threatened either of them she would know it and should her life be placed in peril, they'd know as well.

Midoriko closed her eyes and raised her hands in the air, calling on the power of the Shikon one final time. The image of the three before her wavered and then faded from her sight, leaving her alone once more. Quickly she whispered a prayer and hoped that the Gods would hear her plea. _'May the Gods bless your journey child, once you're in the past I'm afraid I cannot help you any longer.'_

On the mortal plane, Shippo and Jaken stared at where their companions once knelt and the kitsune couldn't help but feel the pang of loss. Now that Kagome was gone, it hit him that he was likely to never see her again and for that his heart ached. A human's lifespan was impossibly short and there was no way that she'd survive to this time period. _'Take care of yourself, Kagome, I'll... I'll miss you.'_

End of Chapter Five


	6. Chapter Six

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

_**Chapter Six**_

The sound of water running nearby alerted Kagome to the fact that they were no longer in the future. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings, taking in the lush foliage that surrounded them, free of the taint that would corrupt it centuries from now. "We made it," she whispered, her eyes happily meeting Father Nightroad's. '_I'll finally be able to set things right.'_

"It looks that way," Father Nightroad replied and then gazed down upon his partner who was still lying upon the ground. "Is he going to be all right?" Although the man looked to be at peace, he still hadn't awoken and until he did, Abel would continue to be concerned. There was no precedence for something like this having happened before and he had no idea how long it would be until Father Tres would be back to normal, whatever that was.

Gently, Kagome brushed the man's bangs away from his forehead testing the temperature for any sign of a fever. Thankfully there were none, but she had no idea if allowing him to remain asleep was a good idea either.

"I think he will be," she said at length and then reached into a pocket to fish a handkerchief out of it, "Father, can you do me a favor and wet this down? There's a stream just on the other side of that copse of trees."

For a moment Father Nightroad hesitated, looking around the surrounding area. The tales he'd been told spoke of many demons that roamed Japan and now they were in the thick of it all. How safe would it be to leave the miko here and unprotected, even for a couple of moments? Father Tres certainly couldn't protect her at the present time, but they couldn't remain stationary forever. They needed to get the man up and moving so they could find Kagome's group of friends. Finally, he sighed, really they had no choice. Thankfully the stream wasn't that far away and he'd be within shouting distance.

"I'll be back momentarily. If something happens, call for me," he said quietly and took the proffered handkerchief.

Kagome watched him hurry off and calmly surveyed their surroundings. She wouldn't say that they were safe and free from attack, but the possibilities were severely diminished seeing that they were in Inuyasha's forest. If nothing else, the hanyou had always taken his duties seriously and kept the majority of the dangerous demons out of the immediate area. It made things easier for the village and as such, gained him greater acceptance by the villagers. Still, it was rather peaceful here and Kagome was hard pressed to keep from relaxing completely. Even the breeze that stirred her hair seemed to be soothing, welcoming her back to the time she'd left behind. _'I never thought I'd see this place again, why did I ever leave?'_

While she stared at the surrounding forest, though, she forgot about the man who she'd held so carefully. It was the feel of her fingers running absently through his hair that finally brought Father Tres around, his brow furrowing with the unfamiliar sensation. Slowly his eyes opened and he stared at the woman's face while uncertainty began to make itself known. Never before had he felt confusion or any of the accompanying emotions, but he was experiencing them in abundance now, among other things. Hell, he'd never truly had a full range of physical senses before so acquiring a sense of smell and taste were decidedly odd. Quickly he tried to take stock of what damage he had and realized that he no longer had the capabilities to do that. While he still had the capabilities to analyze a situation faster than most humans, his physical body no longer responded to the mental query in the same fashion. Licking his dry lips, he spoke, "Kagome Higurashi, what is our status?"

Hearing her name had jerked Kagome out of her thoughts and she stared down into Father Tres' face with surprise, "Oh you're awake! Good, we were beginning to worry." When he moved to sit up she went to help him, but to her relief, he needed no assistance, although he was still looking curiously at her. It was amusing; he was showing far more expression now than he had in the short time that she'd known him. "In answer to your question, we made it and Father Nightroad is just beyond those trees over there."

Speaking of the Crusnik, he'd just finished soaking the flimsy cloth and came back to the small clearing they'd arrived in. He was pleased to see that Father Tres was now up and looking only slightly worse for wear, "Father Tres, it's good to see you decided to rejoin us. How are you feeling?" The wet material in his hand continued to drip and he looked at it uncertainly. _Well I guess we won't need this any longer.'_

"I will be fine, Father Nightroad," Father Tres replied firmly. While he couldn't quite understand everything his body was trying to assimilate, sooner or later he would become accustomed to it. In the meantime, he would deal with things the best that he could. There was no way he would show just how unsettled this had made him; he couldn't afford to show weakness. Carefully he stood and extended his hand towards the miko, "We shall accompany you to the village, priestess Kagome; lead the way."

Nodding slightly, Kagome took his hand and used it to pull herself up. It took a moment to regain her balance, but soon enough she was steady and allowed herself to let go. "It's this way," she said and began to lead them in the direction of the village. While they walked she looked covertly at her companions, wondering how to broach a subject that had been bothering her for a while.

Father Nightroad; however, didn't fail to notice the uncomfortable way she'd been looking at them. "Is there something wrong, Ms. Kagome?" he asked sincerely. If there was something bothering her it was best to address the problem now before they needed to deal with the next problem this trip would bring.

"There's nothing wrong exactly," Kagome began and then sighed, "It's just, you don't have to address me so formally you know. I don't need the title to go along with my name; just calling me Kagome is good enough." It would have been easy to deal with and tell them to stuff it had she not known that they were doing it out of respect for her position, but there was no way she could deal with it for very long, especially if they were going to be traveling for months like she feared. Having Miroku continue to address her, as Lady Kagome was bad enough, but three of them? That would quickly go beyond the realms of irritating.

The request had both men looking at her in surprise since it wasn't often that they dealt with people that didn't insist on being addressed properly. Sure, when dealing with the common population it was a given, but the courtiers and other officials of high rank could be rabid about protocol.

"My apologies," Father Nightroad said with a smile, "we did not mean to make you uncomfortable. We're just..."

"Just used to dealing with people too stuck on themselves, I understand. If you're fine with appellations then you'll be comfortable here. The villagers are notorious for using them as soon as they figure out you're someone of importance, but I've never seen the need," Kagome replied and continued walking down the path. In the distance she could see the village and it appeared as though nothing had changed which made her happy, but she couldn't help wondering just where Inuyasha was. Surely it wouldn't be long before he scented them and came to investigate.

Father Tres looked at her oddly and then shrugged. In his experience, those with power were more than happy to throw their weight around and even as loyal as he was to Lady Caterina, she was no exception. While she had a good heart and was concerned about the people, she wouldn't hesitate to wield the power she held with an iron fist if the need arose. "It is because you are from another time and were not born into a position of power," he said quietly after a few moments, "it alters your perception."

"That's possible," Kagome replied with a slight nod, she'd been tossed into this life without so much as a by your leave and had been expected to adapt immediately. Surely if it had been Kikyo arriving in her time, she would have been just as stunned by the way Japanese culture had adapted, even to the extent of integrating some western influences. As it was, both Father Nightroad and Father Tres were going to have a hard time becoming accustomed to living in the feudal era since none of them had any expectations of returning to their own time.

Before they'd walked any further than a couple yards, Father Tres suddenly pulled out his guns, training the laser sights on the foliage just ahead and off to his right.

"Show yourself," he ordered, his voice reflecting the cool ruthlessness that had dominated his life. Whatever it was that had approached wasn't very large, but he knew that it wasn't something so ordinary as a rabbit or even a deer. Instinct told him that the intruder was specifically seeking Kagome out, although for what reason he hadn't determined yet. There was a chance that it was one of her friends, but in that case, why skulk around in the bushes as if planning an ambush. When no response came he fired two shots just shy of the bushes to show that he meant business.

"K... Kagome," Shippo stuttered and came out from the undergrowth as the man had ordered. He hadn't been sure just what Kagome was doing back from her time, nor why she'd had two strange men with her and had hidden himself in the bushes. With his keen hearing he would have been able to determine if she was in any trouble and if she was, use a surprise attack that would hopefully be enough to allow her to get away. But now that advantage was gone and one of the men was pointing something at him that he didn't recognize. When it had fired it almost reminded him of the few guns he had seen, but they didn't look anything alike. Was it a weapon from Kagome's time and if so, how did they get here? He wasn't all together certain what was going on, but the one thing he did know was that if these men were enemies then both he and Kagome were in trouble.

"Shippo!" Kagome gasped and ran towards the kitsune, picking him up protectively before glaring at Tres who had only just lowered his weapons, "Dammit, what were you thinking?"

"Killing Naraku and protecting you are our only priorities. He should have announced his presence," Father Tres said curtly, turning narrowed eyes on Shippo, "Next time do not present yourself in ways which an enemy would do." As much as he disliked the idea of harming a child, if the situation came up again the outcome would be the same.

"Wait a minute, Naraku's dead cause Kagome killed him already. So she doesn't need your protection, not when she's got me and Inuyasha. Besides, who are you to tell me what to do? I was only trying to make sure Kagome was safe and I'm not convinced you're not trying to trick her somehow," Shippo shot back, confident that now that he was with Kagome and knowing she wouldn't allow anyone to touch him, "Come on, Kagome, Inuyasha's at the village." At least then with the hanyou present they could figure out what was going on and Inuyasha could decide what to do about the two strangers looking at him so strangely.

The stricken look that appeared on the miko's face when Naraku was mentioned was enough to spur Father Nightroad into action. Putting on a bright smile he stepped forward, "So this is Shippo, is it? We've heard so much about you from Kagome! It's a pleasure to meet you." The wide eyed look the kitsune was giving him revealed that he'd been clearly caught off guard and regardless of the circumstances; it was rather amusing seeing just how great the differences were between the kitsune now and what he would become in the future. It was a pity that time had hardened him so greatly, but with luck, that would all soon change.

Instantly diverted from his earlier thoughts, Shippo's gaze darted from Father Nightroad to Kagome and back again, "You've been talking about me, Kagome? I thought you couldn't tell anyone about your visits here." His nose twitched taking in their unfamiliar scents, "Who are they anyway? They smell... strange."

Strange didn't begin to cover it, but that was beside the point. Kagome's natural scent normally carried the strange scent prevalent in her time, but these guys were blanketed in it. His nose twitched again and his brow furrowed. Come to think of it, Kagome smelled different as well and suddenly he wasn't so sure that was even his friend anymore. Quickly he jumped down and eyed the three of them, prepared to run at any moment and get Inuyasha's help. "I don't know who you are, but tell me what have you done with Kagome!"

"Shippo, it's me," Kagome protested and knelt down in front of the kitsune. When he backed away from her warily, a look of sadness crossed her face, she hadn't even thought about the possibility that she'd be challenged like this. If Shippo were having his doubts, just what would Inuyasha say?

"So much has happened since I left, Shippo," she said gently, trying not to allow her emotions to run away with her, "and I'll tell you soon, but you must believe me when I say it's really me and these two are friends."

"Prove it," Shippo countered uneasily, unsure of just what to believe. His nose shouldn't deceive him, but at the same time, the woman's mannerisms and appearance were just what he'd expect from his friend. The look of hurt in her eyes made him shift indecisively. He wanted to believe her, but his sense of smell wouldn't lie, would it?

"The color of your father's fox fire was blue and it bathed us in its protective glow during the fight with Hiten and Manten. As it disappeared, you heard your father's voice telling you that he trusted us to take care of you and to remain with us," Kagome whispered and gazed upon the kitsune softly, knowing that that simple statement should be enough. It wasn't common knowledge that the elder fox had spoken to his son and it wasn't until much later that Shippo had even confessed that much to her. To this day, not even Inuyasha was aware of the fact that she'd been entrusted directly with Shippo's care, he just believed that the spirit did what was necessary to protect his son and then passed on as he was supposed to.

Hearing that, Shippo walked back into her comforting embrace and allowed her to hold him as closely as she wanted to. It was obvious that there was something deeply wrong, troubling the girl, but he couldn't fathom what it was. "What happened to you?" he asked quietly, his words meant for her ears only even though his attention never strayed from the two strange men.

"I can't talk about it yet," Kagome replied wearily, "not until we find Inuyasha. He needs to hear this too." Truthfully, she didn't think that she could tell the story more than once and the idea of having to endure the heartache of reliving what happened even one time was getting to her. No, once would be more than enough and while she knew that Shippo was only concerned, he was going to have to wait just a few more minutes.

"Then spill it cause I'm already here," Inuyasha replied and dropped down out of a nearby tree. The sound of gunfire had caught his attention a few minutes before and it had brought him running. However, his senses were conflicted about the girl as well, she didn't smell right, but gut instinct told him that she was indeed the miko he'd seen off to the well only a couple of days before. The appearance of two strange men was disconcerting, but since Kagome wasn't exactly panicking about their presence, he wasn't going to leap to conclusions. If they proved themselves to be a threat he'd have no problem taking them out then.

"Inu... Inuyasha?" Kagome stammered, whirling around to face the hanyou. Time stood still for several long moments and something within her broke. Abruptly she threw herself at him, heedless of the fact that Shippo was still in her arms. All that mattered was that the hanyou was there and he was safe. "Inuyasha!" she cried, tears streaming down her face as she collided with his chest and held him as tightly as she could.

That emotional outburst had been the last thing that Inuyasha had expected, but he didn't push her away. Instead his arms closed around her protectively while she sobbed into his chest as if the world had collapsed around her.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked her gently, completely unsure about what he could do to help her. Whatever it was though, all she had to do was ask, and he'd see that it was done.

"You were... he... he killed," Kagome stammered in between sobs. At the moment she knew she wasn't making any sense, but she couldn't bring herself to calm down. _'He's alive; oh thank God he's alive.' _The thought that she'd never see her friend again had haunted her for so long and now he was standing in front of her. It was as if she was finally waking up from what seemed to be a never ending nightmare and her mind just couldn't cope with reality any longer.

"Who killed what, Kagome? You're not making any sense," Inuyasha told her firmly, trying to get her to at least get a grip on herself so she could tell him what the hell was going on. Her hysterics were setting him even further on edge and when she continued to stammer he looked towards the two men again, "All right, someone tell me what the hell is going on here. Who are you and what the hell happened to Kagome to make her act like this?"

"I know you have questions, but perhaps there is someplace else that we can speak. Kagome's in no condition to talk at the moment and there's much to explain. Once we get inside we can get her calmed down and then we can tell you why we're here," Father Nightroad said quietly.

The mood surrounding them had sobered considerably and he couldn't help but feel they were intruding on a private moment. He'd seen a glimpse of the grief the miko had kept hidden and seeing it overwhelming her so badly made his own heart ache. He knew all too well how hard it was losing a loved one and it was likely that he would react the same way if he found that his own loved ones were still alive and within reach.

As much as Inuyasha wanted to demand answers right then and there, the man had a point. They weren't likely to get anything out of Kagome in this condition and he knew it.

"Fine, follow me, but I swear if you two were the ones who did this to her I'll kill you both," he threatened, his voice tense with barely restrained anger. In all the years he'd known the girl, he'd never seen her break down so badly. Without another word, he picked Kagome up and cradled her gently against his chest. He waited just long enough for Shippo to get himself situated so he wasn't being crushed between them before he started walking to the village.

Father Tres scowled at the man's retreating back, but said nothing. Being threatened hadn't sat well with him, but he wasn't worried about what the hanyou could do to him. It was irritating to see him walking off with the woman they'd been charged to protect as well, but he couldn't demand that he release her. It was obvious that the miko needed time to come to terms with what was going on and to separate the two of them was likely to cause even more problems. No, they'd have to give her the time that she needed and only then would they be able to proceed with the mission.

"She'll be fine," Father Nightroad said quietly, reassuring his partner that there was nothing to worry about. He saw the look on the man's face and knew that he wasn't thrilled with how things were progressing. At the moment he wasn't exactly sure how well Father Tres was even handling the emotions that came with being human. While the man's expression was more revealing, he was still quite stoic and that in itself made it more difficult to read him.

"I wasn't worried," Father Tres replied and didn't spare the Crusnik a second glance. Instead, his gaze remained trained on the pair in front of them, watching carefully to ensure that nothing happened that would call for him to take action. Just ahead he could see the entrance to the village and he was certain that their presence had already been announced. There were several people working in the rice paddies off to each side that had even stopped to watch them walk past.

Father Nightroad blinked in surprise and then chuckled, "I see. I shouldn't have presumed." He refrained from further comment because he wasn't sure just what to say. Did Father Tres even know what worry was and, if not, how would he be able to say that's not what he was feeling? In the end he supposed it didn't matter, if his friend needed help understanding the changes he was going through then he'd do what he could to help. In the meantime, he'd just silently observe.

As soon as they crossed the gates, Kaede was there to greet them and Inuyasha couldn't be more relieved. Kagome had always had a certain bond with the miko and perhaps the old woman would know what to do for her. "Hey, old woman," he called out of habit, "Can we borrow your hut? Somethings wrong with Kagome."

Kaede refrained from rolling her eyes for the moment and nodded, "Aye, what seems to be the trouble with yon girl?" From what she could see Kagome didn't appear ill, but there was definitely something wrong. There seemed to be an aura of grief surrounding her and it wasn't often that Kagome could be seen clinging to the hanyou in such a fashion. Even Shippo appeared to be deeply concerned and was gazing between them with worry etching his features. The two strange men following the trio were clearly foreign, but so long as Inuyasha wasn't attacking them, she wasn't going to challenge their right to be there.

"I dunno, I found her with these three and as soon as she saw me she turned hysterical and starting blabbing about someone dying. I couldn't get anything else out of her and these two aren't talking," Inuyasha said his voice taut with concealed emotion. The old woman seemed to have a considering look on her face before she nodded sharply and led them to the hut that they'd stayed in so many times before. Just before he passed the entrance, his eyes caught sight of purple robes coming closer, "Oi, monk, get your ass in here and bring Sango with you." That was the good thing about having so many friends from different backgrounds, surely one of them would be able to help figure out what the hell happened.

"Set her down here, Inuyasha," Kaede instructed calmly and began pouring more water into the pot that rested over the fire. It was fortunate that she'd been getting ready to prepare the evening stew; it meant that it wouldn't take long for the water to heat for tea. Carefully she began sorting through the herbs that would calm the girl enough that she could talk without relapsing into hysterics while Inuyasha got her situated. Only once she was comfortably seated with his haori draped over her shoulders did she turn to the other two. "So, might ye give us your names so that we may speak of what happened?"

"Forgive us for our rudeness," Father Nightroad apologized to the old woman and gave Kagome a sympathetic look. "My name is Father Abel Nightroad and this is Father Tres Iqus. We're from the future, just like Kagome is and she was the one that brought us here to speak with you all." As soon as he announced they were from the future, he could see the others tense, although, it was just slightly ridiculous; they couldn't have possibly believed that they were from this time. A rustle at the door signaled the arrival of two more people and what appeared to be a small kitten. _'That must be Miroku, Sango and Kirara which means we can begin explanations soon.'_

"I thought as much, ye did not appear to be from this time," Kaede replied and added the herbs into the hot water before stirring it slowly. It would only take a few moments and the tea would be ready. Based on the way Kagome appeared, the girl needed it badly, although to her credit she was no longer crying.

"Wait a minute, I thought only Kagome and Inuyasha could go through the well," Sango countered, instantly suspicious of anyone who claimed to be able to traverse time like their friends. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but she didn't like what she was seeing, not in the least, and as such, she made sure that her weapons were close at hand. She might not have been able to replace the hiraikotsu just yet, but that didn't mean she didn't have other weapons at her disposal.

"Well about that," Father Nightroad began, "we didn't exactly come through the well." After he said that you could have heard a pin drop in the room and the stunned looks on their faces might have been amusing at any other time. But he knew that they were going to have issues proving their credibility. _'The sooner Kagome is able to make her explanations the better off we'll be. Until then we'll just have to proceed slowly and make what progress we can.'_

"What do you mean you didn't come through the well?" Inuyasha snapped, "Just what are you playing at?" Unless there was another portal he didn't know about, this man was lying his ass off and he wasn't about to stand for it. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, ready to say the hell with it and beat the truth out of him.

"Easy, Inuyasha," Kaede cautioned, and nodded towards Kagome, they didn't need violence to set the girl off again, "I'm sure there's an explanation for what Father Nightroad means." The title was an odd one and yet another piece of the puzzle that had yet to be revealed. Just where these two were from and what did they have to do with Kagome? '_All will be revealed in time, of that I am certain.'_ Carefully she ladled out some of the tea and pressed the steaming liquid into the younger miko's hands, "Drink slowly, this will calm your nerves, child."

"Thank you," Kagome whispered and took the cup of tea. The first sip made her grimace with the bitterness, but she knew that it would do what it was supposed to. Silence reigned over the room while she finished her cup and by the time she set it down, she finally felt she could begin to tackle the problem. "I know you all have questions and I'll answer them the best I can. But in answer to the first one, we didn't come through the well. In my time, it's been destroyed and we had to use... an alternate method of getting here."

The statement had Inuyasha staring in disbelief, "Wait, what do you mean the well was destroyed? What alternate method?" He'd known that something was wrong with the well when he'd attempted to jump through earlier in the day and couldn't pass, but he'd believed it to be because it had sealed itself, not that the damned thing was gone.

"Inuyasha, perhaps you should give Lady Kagome the chance to speak instead of throwing questions at her," Miroku advised calmly although he was just as curious as to what she could have possibly meant by alternate method.

"I guess, I should start at the beginning," Kagome said and took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. Her gaze turned to sorrow as she looked about the room at her friends and she wished she didn't have to be the bearer of bad news. "Naraku... is still alive. We didn't kill him like we thought we had," she said and then waited for the outburst she knew was coming.

"No fucking way," Inuyasha shouted and jumped to his feet, "we watched you kill the bastard. Miroku's wind tunnel is gone and you destroyed the damned jewel. I don't know how these new friends of yours managed to convince you that he was still alive, but I don't want to hear another word of it. Not one, fucking word. Naraku is dead, leave him in the past!" The very thought that anyone would pull such a sick joke was enough to make his blood boil and he wasn't about to stand for it.

"They didn't have to convince me of anything, Inuyasha! I saw him... I saw him with my own eyes," Kagome snapped, her emotions swinging wildly from sorrow to anger within the space of a heartbeat.

"I don't care what you think you saw, but it wasn't Naraku," Inuyasha protested vehemently. The others were staring at them in shock and he turned his irritated gaze on them, "What? You can't possibly believe this, can you?"

"Oh so now I'm imagining things?" Kagome got to her feet and stared up at him angrily. "Let me tell you something," she said, advancing on the man she'd been so happy to see only moments before, "I know what I saw. I know what I went through and I don't need you telling me that I'm making this stuff up. Naraku is alive and well in my time and you want to know the _best _part?" Her voice was thick with hurt and sarcasm and Inuyasha was staring at her like she'd grown another head, but she wasn't about to stop, not yet, "I got to _watch_ him hack my grandfather's head off with the Tetsusaiga! You're _dead,_ Inuyasha; you just haven't figured that out yet!"

"What do you mean I'm _dead_? Like hell, Naraku couldn't kill me before and he damned sure wouldn't be able to kill me even five hundred years from now," Inuyasha scoffed and looked at Kaede, "I think you need to examine her head or something cause she's clearly out of her mind." He couldn't see how she'd made something like this up, but it just wasn't possible. There's no way in hell that he'd be killed by Naraku nor would he allow him to take possession of his sword. There had to be another explanation for it.

The accusation had Kagome longing to slap some sense into the hanyou, but she couldn't, she wouldn't do something like that to him. Instead she turned away from him and attempted to regain control of her raging emotions.

"I should have known," she said, her voice shaking with rage, "I should have known that you'd act this way and tell me I was out of my mind. Everything just has to be a bad dream to you, doesn't it? I watched Naraku kill everyone I held dear and it means nothing to you. I end up pinned to the Goshinboku and burned alive like some Gods be damned witch and I'm imagining things. I waited centuries thinking there wasn't a damned thing I could do to stop this bastard and when I get the chance, I ended up stuck here with you telling me I don't know what the hell I'm talking about." She could feel the multitude of eyes staring at her, but she refused to meet any of them. "You don't want to believe me, Inuyasha? Fine, don't. I'll go and find the bastard on my own," she said quietly and walked out of the hut without another word.

"Kagome, wait," Inuyasha called and turned to follow her. Although he still couldn't believe that what she believed to be true was in fact real, he knew that he'd crossed a line and the guilt didn't sit well with him. Clearly whatever had happened had hurt her deeply and he'd responded in the worst way possible. Yet before he could reach the door a whispered word reached his ears, sending him crashing to the ground, but he couldn't even complain about being subdued, he knew he deserved it.

"Establish your mission priorities, Inuyasha. If they are incompatible with our own we will continue without you," Father Tres stated calmly and walked past the fallen hanyou, barely sparing the man a glance. He didn't have to go far to find the miko, she had only walked a short distance away before sitting down and leaning back against a nearby tree. The look on her face was one of pure dejection and a small part of himself felt sorry for her. None of them had been expecting Inuyasha to act like that and it had stunned him, especially with how fondly the girl tended to speak about the hanyou. Once he reached her, he knelt down in the grass beside her.

"Do you wish to abandon the primary plan and confront Naraku without your friends?" he asked quietly. The idea didn't bother him in the least, since with the girl's emotions tied up so tightly in what had happened it had set her off balance. She would be vulnerable until things were worked out between them and it made his job of guarding her more difficult.

The question caught Kagome off guard and she didn't answer right away. Already she was feeling bad about reacting so harshly, but still, it angered her that Inuyasha couldn't look past what he knew in order to consider other possibilities. She knew the truth of the matter yet there wasn't much she could do in order to convince him if he refused to open his eyes.

"I don't know what I want to do," she said with a sigh and looked over at the man sitting next to her, "He can be so difficult sometimes and I know that sooner or later he'll come around, but can we afford to wait? Then again, if we go off on our own, Inuyasha would never forgive me for leaving him behind once he realized that I wasn't making this up."

"I cannot advise you on the decision, but I would caution against waiting too long to make it. The Shikon is not the only artifact of power and it would be unwise to give Naraku the time to find another one to take its place. If you wish to proceed without your companions, Father Nightroad and I will stand behind your decision," Father Tres replied calmly, gazing at the woman out of the corner of his eye. Either way was an acceptable option to him and he knew that Father Nightroad was unlikely to voice an objection so long as the decision was made quickly.

"I know," Kagome said wearily. She almost wished that someone would take the decision from her, but that wasn't likely to happen, "You know, even if I were to decide we were going alone, Inuyasha is likely to follow us anyway. He'd go to make sure I stayed safe even if he was complaining the entire time about us wasting time." It was the truth as Kagome saw it and she could even picture Inuyasha in her head, berating her with each day that past without a sign of Naraku. _'That'll get old within the first day and I know that Naraku isn't just going to pop up to reveal his hiding spot. We could be at this for months.' _The thought was far from reassuring, but what could she do?

The feeling echoing through the bond they shared had Father Tres turning to look at her, "If you do not wish to be followed, we'll take care of the problem." It might be difficult with the weapon the hanyou carried, but he had no doubts that between himself and Father Nightroad, they'd be able to take care of the problem.

There was no mistaking the threat in that statement and it had Kagome looking at the man with a raised brow, "As irritating as Inuyasha can be, I prefer him to remain in one piece." No, if Inuyasha wanted to ignore what she was trying to tell him, then she couldn't change that, but she wouldn't stop him from following. _'If he gets too overbearing with the 'I told you so's' though, he'll find himself a one way ticket straight to hell courtesy of that rosary he wears.' _The thought was uncharitable and she knew it, but she was still hurt by what he'd said to her.

"As you wish," he replied with a shrug of the shoulders. If push came to shove, nothing said that the hanyou had to be dismembered. All it would take was one bullet and the problem of the half breed would be eliminated, but he wasn't going to say that and risk upsetting her further. "Are you ready to go back inside?"

The idea really didn't sound too appealing at the moment, not with how comforting the cool breeze felt against her skin. She needed a few more moments to compose herself and get rid of the anger that Inuyasha had invoked. "Maybe in a few minutes, you can go back inside if you want though. I'll be fine out here," she said, believing that the man had no desire to be babysitting an emotional female.

"Negative, I will remain here until you decide that you're ready to return," he said immediately. Whether the village was safe or not, leaving her alone to her own devices was out of the question. Besides, it wasn't as if he was uncomfortable sitting beneath the tree beside her. He could even ignore the curious stares they were getting; he knew that they'd be leaving soon enough.

_Inside The Hut_

"Sit down, Inuyasha," Kaede ordered for the fifth time since Kagome had stormed out of the hut. Having him follow after her so quickly would surely result in disaster and she really didn't feel like having to listen to the two of them fight all night. _'From the looks of it the fighting will commence soon enough if Inuyasha realizes that Kagome decides that spending time with our new friends is preferable to sitting here arguing with him.'_

"I don't need you telling me what to do, old woman," Inuyasha snapped in irritation, but he did what he was told, "Why'd she have to throw a fit anyway? She could have at least stayed and we could have worked this out." Even though he felt guilty, there was no way in hell he was going to show the others that he took responsibility for what had happened. "How do we know that she's safe with him anyway? Hey, Miroku, how about you bring her back? She'll listen to you," he said, continuing on with his tirade and ignoring the incredulous looks that he was receiving.

"Kagome is perfectly safe with Father Tres, you have my word," Father Nightroad interjected calmly. He could feel that the girl was slowly calming down which was most likely due to his partner's influence. "But," he began, "I assure you that if you follow her with the intent of continuing to cast doubt on what she's trying to explain, she will not wish to remain here for long. Give her some time, she's been waiting over a thousand years to see you all again. The least you could do is attempt to understand how difficult this is on her."

"So you know what happened then?" Sango asked curiously, "Kagome's time is only five centuries away and she's human. How could she possibly survive so long? Come to think of it, what did she mean that she died? She's never mentioned the ability to resurrect someone once they're dead and I'd like to think that Inuyasha would have noticed if she'd been brought back in the same method that Kikyo had." For that matter, Shippo would have as well, so clearly she wasn't made out of grave soil and clay.

"It's a long story," Father Nightroad replied and leaned back against the wall in order to make himself comfortable. If he could spare Kagome some of this headache then he'd do so gladly. "To begin with, Naraku is indeed alive. Not only has Kagome encountered him and died by his hand, he's also begun a plot to take over Europe with the Shikon jewel."

"Wait a minute, the jewel is gone. Kagome made a wish and it was destroyed," Inuyasha countered quickly. While he wasn't sure where the hell this place called Europe was, that was secondary to hearing about the jewel.

Father Nightroad nodded in acknowledgment to the statement, "That is what you all believed, but I assure you, that is not what happened. As best as we can figure, a wish drained the jewel to the point it was no longer able to exist on this plane, but eventually it grew in power and managed to reform itself in one of my colleagues." The image of Sister Kate being ripped open by an unseen hand continued to plague him and while he was used to bloodshed, he never wanted to witness something like that again.

"So what you're trying to tell me is that Kagome's dead, Naraku's alive and the jewel is back?" Inuyasha asked, looking at him dubiously. While Kagome didn't smell as she did just a few days ago, she damned sure didn't smell like a corpse. Part of the story was being left out and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Correction," Father Nightroad held up a hand, forestalling any argument, "Kagome was dead. Technology has greatly advanced over the centuries and we were able to recreate her body, but it would have been impossible to restore her soul if it hadn't been for Shippo's help."

"Wait a minute," Shippo jumped down from Miroku's shoulder to regard the man with wide eyes, "I helped guide Kagome's soul back into her body?" The idea seemed to be too incredible to be believed, but the kitsune knew that it would be within his power, assuming he found another fox to train him in the technique at some point.

The slightest feeling of relief began to sweep through him when he began to realize that they were finally listening instead of just reacting. "Yes, you did. In fact, you were the one that approached us when you realized that it was Naraku causing the problems. Had you not come to us, there would be little hope for the future." As much as he hated to admit it, it was the truth. At the moment they were helpless to do anything to stop the man and if it hadn't been for Kagome, both the Pope and his sister would have perished.

"So how did Naraku find the jewel again anyway? Everyone believed a wish would destroy it so how did he know where to look," Sango asked, unsure of what to make of the entire conversation. If Naraku was still alive then where the hell could he be hiding? Would he be able to cast the same barrier that he had in previous times in order to conceal himself?

"We always just assumed the wish would make the jewel disappear, but did we ever have any evidence to back that claim up?" Miroku asked and tried to search his memory for anything he might have heard. But nothing was forthcoming and in fact, he hadn't known that it could be destroyed until both Kagome and Inuyasha had mentioned a wish.

"Nay, that was nothing more than a theory that my sister believed in. She was so closely bonded to the jewel; we believed that if anyone would know what could destroy the Shikon, it would be her. Many nights we lay awake and discussed the possibility, but to my knowledge, even she could not say for certain," Kaede said quietly, contemplating everything she'd heard so far. She knew better than anyone just how far from infallible her sister had been and now, she wished that she'd cautioned Kagome not to be too certain that the jewel would in fact vanish for good.

"But Kikyo wouldn't have screwed something like that up," Inuyasha argued in the dead miko's defense. He still wasn't convinced that it was in fact Naraku. _'Keh, it would be like some low class demon to impersonate that bastard just to use Naraku's reputation. Humans are weak so they wouldn't be able to tell the damned difference. The only part that doesn't make sense is Kagome swore it was him. Could it be another shape shifter?'_

"Inuyasha, your continued defense of my sister while admirable, is misplaced in this instance. Kikyo may have been wise beyond her years, but she was not all knowing and just as prone in making mistakes as anyone else. Or need I remind ye how easily she was tricked by Naraku and robbed of her life?" Kaede pointed out even though she knew that it would anger the hanyou. He'd always had a particular blind spot where Kikyo had been concerned and now was not the time to be falling back into old habits.

"How in the hell did he manage to kill me and take the Tetsusaiga if he didn't have the jewel yet? There's no way in hell Kagome would have died if I still had a single breath in my body, and he said the jewel reformed in his friend. Which means there's a big fucking time gap that no one has explained yet," Inuyasha protested even though he felt like he was fighting a losing battle.

"Simple," Kagome replied from the doorway, "he caught you off guard because you weren't expecting him to be alive. Don't worry though; you weren't the only one to die, although the others took a while." Calmly she walked back into the room and resumed sitting down, although this time she put a bit of room between herself and Inuyasha. Until he was ready to apologize, she wasn't going to act like nothing had happened.

"Wait a minute, he killed everyone else too?" Shippo stared at her with wide eyes; he'd already heard that he somehow managed to survive, but how? With everyone dead he should have been easy prey.

"Not exactly," Kagome replied with a sigh and rubbed her temples. What she wouldn't give for some Tylenol right about now. "Naraku knew that without the jewel he wouldn't be able to take out Lord Sesshoumaru and Kouga," she said and then stopped to glare at Inuyasha when he looked as if he were about to go off on another tirade, "He just happened to catch Inuyasha off guard and by then, he realized that I wasn't from this time. To kill off the rest of you would have alerted the other demons after him that he was still alive, it would have been too coincidental to be anyone else."

"So then, who did he kill?" Sango asked, although she had a sinking suspicion about just what and whom the miko was referring to. They were looking at a far greater time span than what they'd been dealing with before and after Kagome's time, anything could happen.

"Since the only person who knew that he was still around had been killed, Naraku was pretty much waiting for me to come through the well the final time. When I couldn't give him the jewel, he killed us all and I lost track of him after that. Because of the circumstances behind my death, I remained at the shrine while everyone else moved on. In the end, it was Shippo who found our bodies not long after we were murdered," Kagome said and tried to keep from picturing everything that had happened that day. Taking a deep breath she pressed on, "Fortunately, Shippo realized who it was responsible. I dunno if it was the tentacles that gave it away or the irony of the fact that I was pinned to the tree in the same spot that Inuyasha had been, but he figured it out. He informed Lord Sesshoumaru and Kouga of what was going on and they began hunting for him again, but Naraku was hard to track. Eventually they lost all trace of him completely and it was thought that he might well have died on his own."

"Figures that my brother and that damned wolf couldn't find him," Inuyasha groused beneath his breath, "They should have made certain the bastard was dead."

"In their defense, there were many things that came to pass that would give the impression that he could have been dead. The last world war would have done it considering most of the world's population was killed off," Father Nightroad interjected calmly. He wanted to point out that if Inuyasha had done the same thing he was saying the other two demons should have done, they wouldn't be in this situation now, but somehow he managed to refrain.

"You're one to talk anyway, Inuyasha. You let Naraku kill you without the jewel and left Kagome to die!" Shippo shouted at the hanyou. Even though he hadn't heard the whole story yet he was already picturing Kagome tied to the Goshinboku and being burned alive, unable to stop Naraku. While he didn't know why he hadn't been able to stop the demon from hurting her, Inuyasha had promised to always be there to protect her and instead he was stupid enough to let Naraku kill him.

"Why you little! Get over here so I can pound you," Inuyasha snarled in anger and reached for the kitsune. There was no way in hell he was going to tolerate being spoken to in such a fashion.

"Inuyasha," Kagome snapped in warning, more than ready to use the necklace again if she had to. While Shippo might have been out of line, she wasn't going to sit there and watch the hanyou pound on the only one who had been there for her over the years. "Do you mind if I continue or should I wait for you to get over yourself and calm down?"

"Yes, we kind of need to know what all happened in order to understand all of this," Sango added although she gave a warning look to Shippo that said he couldn't keep provoking Inuyasha as he'd just done. Kagome might be willing to stand up for him, but her protection would only go so far.

"To address the question of how he found the jewel, Naraku began killing off any women he came across that showed signs of being blessed with holy abilities. As the number of women continued to fall it increased his chances of finding the jewel considerably and finally, he found it within Sister Kate," Father Nightroad said, picking up the thread of the story, "Once he had it within his power he began to increase the rate that he was killing and it no longer mattered who he was targeting. Human, demon, or vampire, it didn't matter."

"Vampires?" Miroku said with a raised eyebrow, "Aren't they creatures of myth and legend?"

"And demons aren't?" Father Tres responded curtly. He was more than tired of the foolishness these people were exhibiting. The trust that Kagome had spoken of that existed between them so far in his opinion, hadn't manifested itself.

"Good point," Miroku replied, realizing how foolish his question had sounded. With a slight shrug, he tried to divert attention from his unintentional blunder. "So what happened then?"

"Naraku somehow managed to kill both Kouga and Lord Sesshoumaru. Jaken was the one to contact Shippo and let us know what was going on. After that we went to the Vatican to look for help which is where we met Father Nightroad and Father Tres," Kagome said, thankful that they'd managed to avoid the mythical being argument.

"And it was ye who managed to give yon girl a new body with Shippo's aid?" Kaede asked curiously. It was an extreme measure to have been taken and she wasn't sure how they had managed to accomplish such a feat, but it was one that she was grateful they had taken. "What convinced ye that she could help?"

The question wasn't exactly unexpected and Father Nightroad was prepared to answer it, "Naraku had infected two important people with a plague that we could not cure and Kagome managed to heal them both. One of which happened to be my sister." It saddened Abel to know that the likelihood of seeing her again was slim, but he wasn't going to rule out the possibility either. His lifespan was far reaching, although he still didn't know what would happen once he reached the time period in which he'd been born.

"And that's why you came with her?" Sango asked, staring at the two men in a new light. She'd been in a similar situation with Kohaku and she could fully understand the sense of loyalty that came with owing Kagome so much. Even though it had only been a couple of days, Kohaku was recovering nicely and with luck he'd be able to put this all behind him. But if Naraku truly was alive, it meant her brother was at risk again. While she wasn't certain what Inuyasha's decision would be, her mind was already made up, she was going.

"None of us were sure whether or not she'd even be able to return to this time since the well was destroyed, but we were willing to attempt it. We owe Kagome much for what she's done and we will do anything to ensure that she is protected throughout this mission," Father Nightroad replied sincerely. That protection, in fact, extended beyond this particular mission, but they were taking things one day at a time.

"So with the well being destroyed, how did you get here anyway?" Inuyasha asked, slowly coming to terms with what he was hearing.

"I had help from Midoriko," Kagome said quietly, "Since I died, I've felt more in tune with the jewel and I've managed to tap into it a couple of times. It was her power that enabled us to come here, but there's no way for any of us to return. If I attempt to go and Naraku is dead, that means I've never died in my own time and it creates a paradox. Nor does the time line run, as it should. If Inuyasha were to attempt to use it now, it would take him to the shrine as it was when I died, instead of to the time where Father Nightroad comes from."

"The well is sealed anyway, Kagome," Shippo said quietly, "Inuyasha tried to go after you earlier, but it wouldn't let him through." Hearing that had been a blow to his heart, but now if what Kagome was saying was true, she'd never be able to leave him again.

"That was probably because Kagome was dead on the other side and had not yet returned. With her soul back on the mortal plain, there is a chance that the well will work again. But she is correct; once Naraku is dead she will not be able to return. Nor is it a good idea to go back before then, for if Naraku should find her alive again he would not hesitate to kill her a second time," Kaede advised wisely, her mind quickly reasoning just why the well would close off. With Kagome dead it had no reason to remain open.

"So the well should be open again?" Inuyasha asked, thoughts already beginning to run through his head. When Kaede nodded, he stood up and regarded those around the room calmly, "I'm going to check for myself. Sango, Miroku, watch over Kagome until I get back." He wasn't about to completely trust these two men with the miko's safety, but if the story checked out, the suspicion he couldn't help but feel would lessen considerably.

Without another word he exited the hut and began to make his way to the well, moving at a fast pace. The scenery blurred by him and he ignored the calls of those villagers who were worried that there was some great emergency coming that would cause him to rush off like that. His mind was now set on seeing what lay on the other side of the well, assuming that he could get through in the first place. Just ahead he could see the wooden structure jutting out of the ground and he didn't pause in his rush towards it. Instead he leapt high in the air and dropped down into its depths, unsure as to whether or not the well would activate.

Blue light flared around him and soon he was falling through time, just as he'd done in the past. Nothing seemed to be different as of yet, but he still breathed a sigh of relief when he landed safely on the other side. What was unusual though was the fact that the only sound surrounding him was that of the wind blowing just outside the well house. No voices floated on the breeze which was unusual for this time of day if nothing else, Souta should have been tending to his chores under his mother's close supervision. _'But if what Kagome said is true... No! I cannot assume the worst, not without seeing for myself.'_

No, he couldn't put off the inevitable, not when he needed to know the truth. Inuyasha jumped from the well's depths and slid the door open, stepping into the sunlight. The first thing that slammed into him was the scent of death and charred flesh, causing him to grimace and shield his nose with his arm. '_It... It can't be true.' _The thought kept echoing through his head, but when he turned to look at the Goshinboku, there was no denying it. Although no body remained against the great tree, he could see the charred outline of a person approximately Kagome's size, leaving little doubt that someone had died there. _'But that means... Oh, Kagome, why?' _ With a heavy heart he turned to the house and began walking towards it, needing to make sure that none of the others survived. Perhaps one of the others had made it; maybe he had a chance to save one of them.

But as the door was pushed open, all hope of that was destroyed when the scent of rotting flesh hit his nose, making him long to turn the other way and ignore what lay ahead. But he didn't dare do that, he had to see for himself. Cautiously he walked towards the living room, unsure of just what would be waiting for him when he got there. When he arrived; however, he felt the overwhelming urge to retch and it was only through a supreme force of will that he managed to refrain from doing just that. It was one thing when the dead were unknown faces, people that he ultimately wouldn't give a second thought to, but that just wasn't the case here. Even though the bodies were gone, there was no denying the fact that they had been there and that was something that he just didn't want to accept. Blood coated everything, the walls, the floor, the furniture, and even the ceiling in places, leaving no doubt to the massacre that had taken place. Even worse was the fact that there were bits and pieces of internal organs, too small to clean up without giving the carpet a thorough cleaning and they were attracting bugs with their stench.

Unable to take it any longer, Inuyasha punched the wall and drove it clear through the plaster in an effort to vent his pain and anger, but it didn't help. Nothing changed the fact that he hadn't been there, he hadn't been able to protect Kagome or her family, and they'd all suffered for his inability to keep his word.

"Naraku, you bastard, you're gonna pay for this!" he shouted and then ran from the house, intent on getting back to the past so they could make plans to hunt the demon down. One way or another, he was going to make sure that Naraku paid for ever thinking that he could touch Kagome or her family and get away with it.

_Back In The Past_

Kagome sighed and tore her gaze away from the entrance to the hut. Inuyasha had only been gone for a couple of minutes, but something told her that he wouldn't remain in her time for long. _'Whether or not he comes back immediately afterwards though...' _Another sigh escaped her lips when she thought about how hard it was going to be on him to find out her family had in fact died. Even if the hanyou had never said it, she knew that he'd accepted them as his own family as well and that learning first hand that they had died would be a particularly painful blow for the man to deal with.

A gentle hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to look up into a pair of soft violet eyes that were filled with concern, "Oh, hello, Miroku. Was there something you needed?"

"No, not really, Lady Kagome. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right," Miroku said quietly and knelt down in an open spot beside the girl. Neither he nor Sango particularly knew what to say to her, but they knew that their friend needed comfort. The way Inuyasha had run off hadn't been surprising to him or anyone else, but it still drove the point home that Inuyasha still didn't believe what the miko was trying to tell them.

"I'll be fine," she replied, but it sounded hollow even to her ears. In truth, she wasn't sure things would ever be fine for her again, but at this point Kagome was willing to take whatever she could get. The hanyou's actions had made her certain of one thing though. No matter what had happened and everything they'd been through, Inuyasha would never completely trust her. Perhaps that was what hurt the most and now having that pointed out to her was like rubbing salt into an open wound.

The pain in her voice didn't go unnoticed by any of the people that were seated in the hut, but there was nothing that anyone could do to ease it. Still, Miroku felt compelled to try. "You know that he doesn't mean to be so callous," he said gently, "something like this would be hard to accept, not because it wouldn't be possible, but because he wouldn't want the events you've described to be true. To do so would be admitting that he had broken his promise to protect you and put an eternal stain on his honor and reputation."

"I know," Kagome whispered brokenly, "but it doesn't change the fact and I didn't come all this way just to fight with him." A bitter laugh escaped her lips, causing everyone's expressions to turn into looks of concern. "You know," she began, "I always found it hard to understand why he couldn't let Kikyo go because it had been so long since it happened, and then I finally realized that even though time had passed, to him it was only days before. I understand now though and the irony of the situation is hard to take. For me it's been centuries and to him not enough time has passed that he would even miss me being here."

"That's not true," Inuyasha said from the doorway, stopping any further conversation from taking place. He didn't need to look at their faces to know that they were each staring at him expectantly, but at the moment he couldn't even bring himself to look at them. Silently he crossed the room and knelt down in front of the miko, unsure of just what to say. Sorry just wouldn't cut it, not after everything that he'd just seen. He owed her so much more than that, the question was could he give it and would she be willing to accept what little he could offer.

When the hanyou's arms wrapped around her, pulling her forward, Kagome didn't attempt to fight the hold. The way his body trembled told her all that she needed to know. He'd seen and now he understood. A whisper of cloth was all she heard signaling Miroku's departure, giving the two of them the space they needed. "Inuyasha, I'm..." she started to say before a finger pressed against her lips, cutting her words off.

"Forgive me," he whispered softly, his lips close to her ear. "I knew you wouldn't lie about something like this, but I didn't want to believe. I should have been there to stop it and I wasn't." Guilt warred with anger, vying for dominance, but he couldn't allow either to take control, not right now. What he needed was to know that she didn't hold it against him and when her arms encircled his body, he knew what her answer would be.

"There was nothing you could have done, Inuyasha, even if you had somehow been there," she said quietly, allowing her hurt and anger to drain away. Too much time had passed and she'd talked with Shippo far too many times to harbor any true resentment against the man now holding her for not being there. "Just promise me we'll get him. Even if I die again, promise you won't stop until he's dead," she pleaded, knowing that only his own death would stop him from keeping his word once it was given.

For a moment his arms tightened around the miko before he held her at arm's length so he could look into her eyes once again. The pleading he saw in her eyes made his gut twist and his words were ground out around the pain he was feeling.

"You're not going to die again," A hitch in his breath stopped his words momentarily "So help me God, Kagome. So long as there's breath in my body I won't let that bastard touch you again!" Quickly he tore his gaze away from her and stared at the other occupants in the room, "We leave in the morning. Everyone that's coming be ready by daybreak otherwise you're getting left behind. We're going to find this bastard and we're not going to stop until he's dead. By the time I'm finished there won't be enough left of his body to warrant building a funeral pyre."


	7. Chapter Seven

_Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17_

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

_**Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far. **_

_**Chapter Seven**_

It was only a few minutes until dawn and almost everyone was awake, preparing for the journey ahead. Only Kagome and Shippo remained sleeping and no one was ready to wake them just yet. After everything that had happened the day before, it had been agreed upon by all of them that the miko needed a decent rest before starting out. Although everyone had been in complete agreement, it had caused a few to wonder in silence at the vehement way that Father Tres had come across with insisting that she be allowed to rest without being disturbed. As curious as it was though, no one had chosen to confront him about his actions.

Miroku eyed the two men that were quietly conversing nearby and after a few minutes of hesitation decided to approach them. As he'd expected, they stopped talking immediately upon seeing him approach and he held his hands up in a gesture of peace.

"Do you have everything you're going to need to bring with you?" he asked, seeing that neither of them had any supplies gathered together, at least nothing that he recognized as supplies anyway.

"Well," Father Nightroad began, "we did have quite a few bags, but we weren't given much choice in bringing them. Midoriko said that only living objects could pass through the gateway and I was half expecting to appear in this time without our clothing." Fortunately, it hadn't come to that, but it was something he had been worried about at the time.

"That would have been rather difficult to explain," Miroku said, trying not to grin. Most likely the villagers would have taken them for demons at that point and all hell would have broken loose.

"Still it's strange, Kagome used to bring supplies from her time quite often. I wonder what changed," he mused quietly, casting a glance over at the sleeping girl.

"We didn't go through the well and certain sacrifices had to be made in order to pass through the time barrier," Father Tres replied, but he didn't go into any further detail. He was still attempting to come to terms with what he'd ended up going through in order to cross over into this world and all the changes that it was entailing. Even doing something as mundane as having a dream while he had been sleeping had come as a shock, and accepting this new state of existence was proving to be a challenge.

"And was the bond formed between you three one of those things?" Miroku asked, seizing upon the opportunity to bring up something he'd noticed earlier, but hadn't mentioned. To bring it to Inuyasha's attention might have caused further problems, because while he had no romantic feelings towards the girl, he was still fiercely protective of her and he could easily take this as something detrimental. His own mind, however, had not made a decision one way or the other yet.

"So Kagome wasn't exaggerating, you do have the sight," Father Nightroad said quietly, his lips quirking upwards in amusement, "she's been quite vocal in her praise about your talents. In answer to your question though, yes. The priestess said that it was a soul bond that enabled Inuyasha to travel through to Kagome's time and we would need something similar to get here, so that's exactly what has happened."

Miroku nodded in understanding, "You mean the tie that was formed between them because of the necklace he wears."

There were days he wondered if the hanyou even understood what the necklace truly stood for. While Kagome could in fact subdue the man with it, the fact was that the very reason the necklace worked at all was because it tied their souls together. Once it was removed, the bond would be destroyed, but as far as Miroku could see, there was nothing of the sort that bound Kagome with these two men. Whatever Midoriko had done, she'd made it permanent.

"Ah, so that's how she stopped him from following her," Father Nightroad mused, "I suspected as much when it gave off that strange glow." It was a handy ability to be sure, but one that could easily be misused if one was not careful.

"It is," Miroku confirmed and looked over to Sango. It was time they thought about waking Kagome up so she would be ready. Inuyasha's generosity for letting her sleep couldn't be counted on forever and he really didn't wish to hear them fighting for the rest of the day. Fortunately, the demon exterminator understood what he was thinking and moved to wake the miko. Once that was done he turned back to the two newest additions to the group.

"If there is anything that either of you will need on the journey it would be wise to set about procuring it now. There is a chance it will be weeks before we return to the village," he said, giving them fair warning about what was to come. Inuyasha was known for setting a driving pace when his mind was set on something and this time wouldn't be an exception.

"We'll be fine, no need to worry about us," Father Nightroad replied, brushing off the concerns. There were a few things that worried him, but at the moment there wasn't much that they could do about them and they were good at improvising when needed.

It helped that they'd already had this discussion with Kagome and were well aware of the way the group tended to travel. One of the biggest problems was not having a change of clothing, but as the miko had said there were always plenty of streams and hot springs to wash what they had. It would just be a matter of picking warm days in which the garments would dry quickly.

The other concern was that the majority of the ammunition that Father Tres had brought had been left behind, but that couldn't be helped. Nor could it be replaced since firearms certainly weren't common in this time period and with the technology still being developed, none of the ammunition available in this time would be suitable for his weapons anyway.

Miroku nodded, accepting the answer easily. Usually they traveled light anyway, living off of the land and occasionally staying in a village when the opportunity presented itself.

"I'll leave you to your conversation then. Inuyasha will likely announce that we're leaving soon now that Kagome is up and preparing to go," he said and made his way to the entrance. In fact, the miko had left the hut only a few moments before with Sango in tow, most likely headed for the springs where they would be able quickly wash up without having to worry about prying eyes.

Outside, Inuyasha had watched the two women walk off with Shippo trailing after them and he was now waiting for them to return. When the monk stepped outside he nodded in greeting, "Are they ready to go? We're not waiting much longer."

In fact, if it hadn't been for the fact that Kagome had still been sleeping they would have already left. It had come as a bit of a surprise that the newcomers had already been awake and ready to leave when he'd come in to wake Sango and Miroku. From everything he'd seen of the people in Kagome's time, they tended to be lazy, waking up long after the sun rose above the horizon. Then again, those two came from an era he wasn't familiar with, so perhaps he was being overly critical in his expectations.

"They are," Miroku responded quietly and assumed a position similar to the hanyou's by leaning against the wall. The rings on his staff jingled lightly in the breeze and for a moment, silence stretched out between them. But it wasn't meant to last forever and eventually the monk broke it by bringing up a question that had been plaguing him for some time, "Have you determined where we should search first?"

"Not really. I'm positive Kagome's attack weakened Naraku considerably, but there's no telling just how far that bastard has gotten by now. I say we head back to that clearing and see if we can pick up his trail," Inuyasha replied, not bothering to look at the man standing next to him. The question had been bothering him as well and now he was kicking himself for not heading back there just to make sure. They'd been so certain that sinking into that muck was the final touch to a rather satisfying killing blow to Naraku and it was infuriating to find out they'd left the job unfinished.

"It's as good of a start as any," Miroku said with a sigh, "I can't say that I relish another three years of searching for him, but without the jewel it should be harder for him to hide." Although he said it, that wasn't something that he was going to count on either. If it had made that much of a difference, his family would have been able to eliminate the threat that Naraku had posed long ago. The fact that his wind tunnel was gone was both a blessing and a curse in this instance as well. No doubt as soon as Naraku figured out they were hunting him, the hole would reopen and his life would be in danger once again. But in the meantime, the lack of it would also hinder him in the instance of any battles that might happen to occur.

Hearing the conversation as they'd walked up, Kagome felt compelled to contribute her opinion, "I wouldn't count on that, Miroku."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked, instantly straightening up and focusing his attention on her, "Was there something else Naraku said when you saw him?" If so, that could be a large help in the search and they all knew how the bastard tended to run his mouth. _'Keh, I'm surprised the idiot shut up long enough to fight. Always flaunting his plans in everyone's faces.'_

"Well, it's not really something he came out and admitted, but rather the impression that I got from the way that he talked," Kagome replied to the question and then gave a slight smile towards Father Tres and Father Nightroad when they stepped outside to join the conversation.

"Keh, quit flirting and answer the question," Inuyasha groused when he saw the look that she gave the two of them. As expected the smile immediately transformed into a scowl, but it got her attention back on him which was what he wanted in the first place.

"The way you're going one would think you wanted to eat dirt for breakfast, Inuyasha," Kagome said, her eyes narrowing in irritation. _'It figures, he still gets pissy if I smile at another male. One of these days he's going to have to get over that little problem.' _But she also knew the likelihood of that happening was slim to none. "If I might continue," she said with a warning look, "Naraku bragged that he'd managed to surprise you which is something that shouldn't be possible."

"Damned right it shouldn't be possible. Come on, we can talk while we travel," Inuyasha said and set off towards the countryside which they'd traveled through only days before. "So did he say how he managed to surprise me? Assuming the bastard wasn't lying his ass off that is."

"No he didn't, which is why I'm wondering just what abilities he possesses even without the jewel," Kagome replied while hurrying to catch up with him, "I mean, shouldn't you have at least been able to smell him before he attacked?"

"Yeah, that bastard's stench is overwhelming. The only way he should have been able to get past my nose is if he had some sort of barrier," Inuyasha said after a moment. More than once they'd lost track of the demon just because he was able to cover his scent so well, but he'd attributed that to the barriers he was able to create with the jewel. If Naraku was able to manage such a thing without it, they might well be searching for years.

"So we have to assume that whatever he could do before, he can still do now. With each demon he's absorbed he's gained their abilities, and according to rumor, he's consumed thousands of them just in creating the persona he has now," Sango added, clearly unhappy with the deductions they'd just come to.

Kagome nodded, it was better to overestimate him than underestimate him and they'd done that once already. "Right, but even with that it doesn't make sense that he'd managed to get a killing blow on Inuyasha. You've been caught by surprise before and it hasn't made a difference," she said.

"There is another factor," Father Tres interjected, remembering his first encounter with the demon in question, "Naraku has an ability similar to Father Havel's."

"Optical camouflage?" Father Nightroad asked with a frown marring his features, "I'd wondered since there was no alert given when Sister Kate was attacked."

"No," Father Tres responded with a shake of his head, "it was similar, but not exact. My scanners can detect Father Havel even when he invokes the ability, but Naraku escaped detection completely until he attacked."

"Wait a minute," Sango said and allowed herself to drop back to walk beside Father Tres, "When he attacked, did he reveal himself then or did he remain invisible?" She had a thought as to what it might have been, but if that was the case, she prayed that it was an ability the man hadn't achieved yet.

Father Tres regarded her curiously, "He remained hidden, attacking when the opportunity presented itself. Halfway through the battle he appeared and then when he made his escape he vanished again. You know what he is doing." It was a statement rather than a question. Now that he knew the woman walking beside him had information about the technique he was determined to learn everything that she knew about it, including if it would be possible for himself or Father Nightroad to accomplish.

"It sounds like he figured out how to vanish into the shadow realm. If so, then that would explain why he could attack Inuyasha without having much trouble. There's no way Inuyasha could counter that," Sango replied, her brow furrowed in thought, "I believe it's an ability he hasn't acquired in this time though because he hasn't shown that he can use it. I doubt he'd have held back this long when he could take any of us out with it."

"Then it would be wise to take care of him before he gains the knowledge," Miroku said wisely and then looked towards Father Nightroad, "So tell me, what do you specialize in? I assume the both of you know how to fight." Or at least he was hoping so. If not, then accepting the two men tagging along put their group at a distinct disadvantage.

"Don't worry," Father Nightroad replied with a smile, "We're more than capable of taking care of ourselves. The training we've both gone through has been... extensive." That was a bit of an understatement, but the monk hadn't exactly asked for their credentials. Even if they had though, he doubted they would understand just what they meant.

"You want to elaborate on that some?" Inuyasha called back over his shoulder, "I don't see either of you with a sword and that gun ain't gonna do you much good against the more powerful demons. Unless you have some special power we don't know about you'd better stay back and let us handle things when it comes to a fight." So far he'd been rather unimpressed with Father Nightroad. He appeared to be far too easy going and a bit on the clumsy side, something that could easily get him killed. As far as Father Tres went, he was reserving judgment until he was able to watch him further. There was something about him that just seemed... off.

Father Nightroad gave the hanyou a considering look, wondering just how much he should reveal. While he had no problems explaining what he was, many people would react negatively to such knowledge and he really didn't want to travel down that path if he didn't have to. But Inuyasha had a point; there was no telling just how reliable their guns would be in this time.

"Perhaps you should go ahead and tell them," Kagome said quietly, instantly picking up on the man's reluctance. "I'm not sure how much you change, assuming that you do, but I'd rather not have the surprise come during a fight if you know what I mean." Such a thing could be disastrous considering how quick Inuyasha was to attack.

The miko's words made sense and eventually Father Nightroad was forced to concede her point, "You're right. We can't afford to give Naraku an advantage." It was rather amusing to see that everyone seemed to have gathered around him while they walked. Clearly they were all curious about what knowledge he'd been keeping a secret. "To begin with, in our time there were two races that were known, humans, and vampires. Demons were nothing more than myth and legend until Shippo informed us of what he was."

"You mean those blood sucking things that Kagome liked to read about in her books?" Inuyasha said with an eyebrow raised in surprise. The idea that vampires existed seemed rather far fetched, but then again, he'd never thought that demons could have been forgotten either. Kagome and her family had proved just how wrong that belief was so he supposed that finding out vampires were indeed real shouldn't be that much of a leap in faith.

The description made Father Nightroad chuckle although it was with little humor, "Well, I doubt that the books were all that accurate. Most of the methods they used in them to kill vampires I daresay are inaccurate. But yes, they do drink the blood of humans although it's no longer a necessity. There are other methods of sustenance." That was something that even he was thankful for now since there was little chance that he would run into another vampire in this time which he could feed off of.

"So are you trying to say that you're a vampire?" Sango asked cautiously. She wasn't altogether certain that she liked the idea seeing that according to those books, vampires had a tendency of taking a liking to feasting on virginal, young women and the countryside had them in abundance.

Father Nightroad shook his head and bit back a sigh. He could hear the veiled fear and suspicion in her voice and it was disheartening, but he wasn't going to lie to them either. "In a manner of speaking, yes, but not in the manner in which you are thinking, he replied, "I am a Crusnik to be precise, a vampire who feasts on the blood of other vampires."

"You gotta be shitting me," Inuyasha scoffed, "you mean to tell me you're a cannibal?" Where he'd expected to feel relief, unease still remained. How trustworthy was a man who would eat his own kind? An image of Jaken roasting over a fire came to mind, making his stomach churn. _'No fucking way, I'd be eating grubs and earthworms first.'_

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed, scandalized that he'd come out and say something so rude. _'What am I thinking; this is Inuyasha we're dealing with. Of course he's going to be rude.'_ Fortunately, aside from looking surprised, Father Nightroad didn't appear to have taken offense. "You can't tell me there aren't demons that eat each other here. I know better!"

"Yeah well, it doesn't mean that I have to like it," Inuyasha shot back in his own defense before turning back to the other male, "So what can you do in a fight? I don't think any demons we happen to run into are gonna stand still and let you suck their blood out."

"I have a number of attacks including one that generates massive amounts of electricity," Father Nightroad said quietly, "If you're worried about having to watch over us, your fears are unfounded. We'll be able to handle ourselves, just worry about your own opponent when the time comes." The idea of fighting went against everything he'd stood for over the past nine hundred years, but he wouldn't back down from one if it came down to it. Pacifism only went so far when so many lives were at stake.

"Keh, fine. Just as long as you stay out of my way," Inuyasha said testily, "I have a hard enough time keeping Kagome out of trouble; I don't need to have to watch over you as well." For now he knew he'd have to trust that the man knew what the hell he was talking about and if it turned out they couldn't handle themselves in a battle, he'd send them back to the village. It wouldn't matter how much protesting Kagome did.

They all watched Inuyasha forge on ahead, and after a few minutes, Shippo sighed from his perch in Kagome's arms. "You'll get used to Inuyasha after a while. He acts like a jerk most of the time, but he's not always this bad," he said, ignoring the glare that the hanyou threw over his shoulder for speaking up. In the end, Shippo knew that it was likely that Inuyasha wouldn't calm down until he was certain that bringing these two with them was a good idea.

"Well this jerk is beginning to think you're not gonna want to eat tonight, Shippo," Inuyasha warned the kitsune, although it was an idle threat at best. He wouldn't withhold food from the kit, but that didn't stop him from saying it anyway. Based on the way Shippo rolled his eyes, the kit knew he wasn't serious as well.

Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples with one hand, ignoring the concerned look that Father Tres was currently directing her way. "What crazy delusion could have ever led me to think this could be easy? Why did I think this was something that we could pull off without me having to jump through all kinds of hoops?" she muttered to no one in particular.

_Later That Evening_

Kagome stared at the clearing for several long moments in silence and then turned back to Inuyasha who was looking at her like she'd lost her mind. "Really, Inuyasha, this site is fine and I don't think we're going to find a better one before night falls," she finally stated with more than a trace of impatience.

"And I'm telling you that a better one will come along, we should just keep moving," Inuyasha insisted. All in all he thought he'd been rather generous throughout the day with all the breaks he'd allowed the group to take. It wasn't his fault that Kagome had outright refused his offer to be carried earlier when she stumbled.

Kagome glared at him and pointedly walked over to a rather large log so she could make a grand show of sitting down and making herself comfortable. "I'm not moving," she flatly stated, crossing her arms with determination. "We've been walking all day and everyone's tired. The clearing is perfectly fine and you know it. Quit trying to be difficult." The truth was she was exhausted, but she couldn't afford to count on Inuyasha to carry her. She needed to get over the weakness that came from having a body not accustomed to working, and riding on his back was not the way to do it. _'I don't even want to think about how Father Tres is holding up since he's got the same problem that I do. I bet he's just as tired, he just manages to hide it well.'_

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn? You never had a problem with me carrying you before, what the hell gives?" he snapped and crossed his arms, mimicking her position before continuing, "You know what? It doesn't matter. I'll carry your ass whether you want it or not, there's still an hour of daylight left and we shouldn't waste it."

"I don't think so," Kagome growled, staring him down, "I'm not a sack of potatoes you can just toss around." Now more than ever she just wanted to rest her legs, grab something to eat and relax for a few minutes without listening to him bitch about every little thing that managed to irritate him.

Inuyasha started walking towards her, fully intent on carrying his threat out. "No, you're not," he said, his voice thick with irritation, "a sack of potatoes wouldn't be half so bitchy. Suck it up, Kagome. We'll travel for another hour and then you can sit all you want, but until then, we're walking."

"You can walk after you eat dirt if you keep pushing it, Inuyasha," Kagome warned, more than ready to use the necklace to get her point across, "I'm not the only one ready to take a break you know. It's hot and we're all tired so you're just going to have to accept that we're stopping and just deal with it."

"Don't hand me that, Kagome. Sango and Miroku are used to this, it's not my fault if those two can't keep up," he said, flinging his arm out to indicate Father Nightroad and Father Tres, "I'll tell you what. If you don't want me carrying you then I'm sure Kirara will let you ride on her back. Problem solved, let's go."

Kagome looked to both Abel and Tres before turning back to Inuyasha, "I said we're staying here." If nothing else she knew that the two guys would follow her wherever she went and if push came to shove, most likely Sango and Miroku would side with her as well. She could understand the urgency in finding Naraku, hell, her entire future hinged on it. But it wouldn't do any of them any good if someone got hurt in trying to reach him. Calmly she looked to Miroku and Sango, ignoring Inuyasha completely, "How should we divide the chores up this time? With two more people here it shouldn't take us that long to get camp set up."

"We're not staying," Inuyasha growled out, his irritation at the way Kagome was daring to attempt to take leadership of the group growing by leaps and bounds. He was the leader of the pack and he would be the one to make the decision on where to set up camp. _'I'll show her just who the leader of this group is, even if it means tying her up and carrying her over my shoulder just to get the point across.'_

Kagome pretended she hadn't heard a word he said and looked at Father Tres, "Would you like to _sit_ down here next to me?" A satisfying thud reached her ears when a certain hanyou met his old acquaintance the ground and there were barely stifled snickers heard from around the clearing.

The corner of his lip twitched and Tres tried not to smirk at the position that Inuyasha had found himself in. Instead, he moved to take a seat next to the girl. "In what order do you usually set up camp?" he asked, looking about the surrounding area carefully.

"Well, normally Inuyasha goes hunting and I'd expect he'd do so again unless he likes kissing the ground," she said in warning when said hanyou glared at the two of them, "Miroku and Sango generally clear the camp sight and prepare the fire pit while I go hunting for firewood with Shippo." In truth, she loathed the idea of standing up again, but she doubted she had the strength right now to lift some of the heavier debris that had fallen.

"I will accompany you while you collect the firewood," he replied and pushed himself up off of the fallen log. Although he couldn't sense anything threatening in the surrounding areas, he wasn't going to take the chance and allow her to wander off on her own. Yet instead of getting up, she sat there looking at him with a raised brow, so he held out a hand to her, "The sooner camp is made the sooner we can rest. It will give Inuyasha less of an argument for wanting to travel further."

That statement was what got her moving and Kagome took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "That settles it. Let's go, Shippo, there should be plenty of wood nearby," she said with a tired smile and breezed past Inuyasha who was now scowling at the three of them. _'Let him be upset, he'll be thanking me later when he realizes this stops him from having to hunt in the dark.'_

Shippo bounded over to the miko's side before peering over to Father Nightroad, "Are you coming too?" Personally, he'd advise getting away from the camp for a few minutes because Inuyasha was likely to blow his top at any moment. It was bad enough Kagome was telling him he wasn't getting his way, but then to sit him again in front of the two newcomers would be a blow to his ego. No, the hanyou wasn't likely to be in a very good mood for a very long while.

"No, you three go on ahead. I'll help get things ready here," Father Nightroad said with a wave of his hand. Throughout the day he'd watched both the miko and his partner slowly giving into exhaustion. This would give him a chance to make sure things were ready for when they returned, otherwise it was likely they'd end up pitching in with whatever chores was left when they should be resting their strained muscles. He was used to traveling long distances, but the others weren't and it was likely to take a few days before they fell into a routine.

Inuyasha watched them walk off and snorted once they were out of earshot, "Damn she's become bitchy since the last time she was here. You'd think she'd be the first one demanding that we keep going since Naraku's the one that killed her family. Now she's acting like it's not a big deal, what the hell gives?" He'd known that her priorities had always been skewed considering her schooling was more important than hunting Naraku when Miroku was at death's door because of the wind tunnel, but this went above and beyond even that.

"If you're asking my opinion, I don't think she's doing this for herself," Father Nightroad replied quietly, gazing at the area they'd disappeared into. Had he not known what they'd gone through over the past few days then he might have shared a similar viewpoint with the hanyou, but circumstances being what they were he just couldn't.

"You're telling me she's doing it for you two? Give me a break, just how lazy have humans gotten since Kagome's time. We haven't even walked that far," Inuyasha said, staring at the man in disbelief. _'We haven't even traveled half the distance we normally would in a day and these two can't keep up?'_

With a sigh that bordered on irritation, Father Nightroad shook his head, "I'm afraid you aren't looking at the big picture, Inuyasha. Both Kagome and Father Tres are both dealing with the fact that they have new bodies. I'd say they're holding up rather well myself, but make no mistake, they're both feeling the strain." As soon as the words left his lips, he knew that another explanation was going to be in order.

"Wait, was he dead too?" Miroku asked curiously, pausing in his appraisal of the area. Perhaps now they'd figure out why the tall man seemed to be different from even his companion.

"Actually no, he was a cyborg and Midoriko was forced to turn him human in order to allow him to go with Kagome," Father Nightroad replied with a weak chuckle, but to his dismay, the only responses he got were blank stares.

"What's a... cyborg?" Sango asked curiously. It wasn't a term she'd heard before, not even from Kagome.

"A cyborg is... well, for lack of a better term a robot," Father Nightroad said and again was met with uncomprehending looks, "Think of a robot as a puppet, made of metal, but it can operate without a human to control it. Then, to get a cyborg, take that puppet and add a human brain. It's a melding of human parts with metallic objects." He was tempted to cast his eyes skyward and ask God why he'd been the one forced to explain these things _'I have to conclude that God has a warped sense of humor and has chosen now to torment me with it.' _

"Why the hell would someone make something like that?" Inuyasha asked his expression one of disgust. _'What'd they do, hack some poor human apart for his body parts? And how do they keep the pieces alive?' _The thought was disturbing on several levels and he didn't even want to contemplate the morality of such a thing, much less how it was even possible.

Father Nightroad could see the disgust in their eyes, but he wasn't there to justify the actions of others in which he had no part of. Instead he answered the spoken question and left the others for them to figure out for themselves since it would spare him the headache, "Cyborgs were developed because they make ideal weapons which keep people from dying. Father Tres was developed as part of a special project in which only ten were developed. At least until Midoriko gave him life, to our knowledge he was the only one that remained of the set."

"So then, he doesn't even know how to act like a human, does he?" Sango asked quietly, finally understanding why his mannerisms were so different from everyone else's. It also explained why Kagome was allowing him to follow her so closely. If he was ordered to protect her then it was the one thing he had left to fall back on and the miko knew it. In her own way, Kagome was doing her best to make the transition as easy for him as she could.

"No, he doesn't. His programming was not set to make him seem human, it was to make him an efficient killing machine, and until he joined the team it was all he knew. He had come a long way though and now he's going to have to learn quickly if he wants to adapt," Father Nightroad said and then gave them all a considering look, "We should get this done quickly if we're to actually be able to relax any time soon."

"Fine, I'll go hunting. Just remember we don't have time to screw around. Sooner or later he's going to have to toughen up so Kagome can quit worrying about him," Inuyasha said firmly before setting off in the opposite direction. With luck he could find a few rabbits or something, he didn't want to take the time to fish and a deer was too large when they were only staying the night.

"Alright, you and Miroku look for stones that can line the fire pit while I clear an area for it," Sango said, deciding that if they were going to get things done she needed to take charge. It probably wouldn't be long before Kagome and Tres came back and she wanted the fire going by then.

_In The Woods_

Finding fallen branches wasn't proving to be terribly difficult, but as Kagome had expected, the majority of them were too green to use. With a sigh she discarded yet another one and scanned the surrounding area for something that might be suitable for use. "I guess I should be thankful it's not raining right now, that'd be a perfect end to today wouldn't it?" she asked Father Tres.

"The weather will hold for now," Father Tres said after casting a quick glance towards the sky. Currently his hands were empty, but that was because he'd determined that keeping them free was the better course of action. He wouldn't be able to draw his guns quickly if he was burdened with the firewood and the miko seemed to be doing a decent job of collecting it with the kit's help.

"That's one favor, however small," she replied and bent down to pick up another branch, "I'd forgotten about the storm that had hit a few days before we fought Naraku. The winds must have done more damage than I'd remembered." The branch was tossed to the side and Kagome resumed the search, heading off towards a thicket. _'Perhaps the undergrowth would have provided some sort of cover and kept the wood from getting wet.'_

"Kagome, there's a bunch over here," Shippo called from a short distance away. He'd already managed to grab an armful and there was plenty more to collect. Most likely enough to keep the fire going all night if they didn't use it too quickly.

"Oh good, that'll save us a bunch of time. Good work, Shippo," Kagome said and tossed the stick she'd been examining back into the brush. It'd been too wet to use anyway so there wasn't any point in keeping it. However, she wasn't expecting the high pitched squeal that was quickly followed by a small, brown streak of fur that came bolting out from the underbrush. Recognizing it immediately, Kagome dropped the pile of wood she'd collected and began to run.

Things happened too quickly for either of them to stop and think. Weary from the day's travels, one of Kagome's legs gave out on her and within seconds Father Tres had his guns out. It was only a moment later that a large wild boar came crashing out of the underbrush, determined to protect its young. Yet he didn't spare a second thought for the smaller animal when he trained the laser sight onto the sow that was charging the miko who was attempting to pull herself up off the ground. Two shots rang out, both of which hit the mark and sent the animal slamming into the ground.

"Damage report, Kagome?" he asked, keeping his eyes trained on the boar just in case the two shots had only managed to injure it. Inwardly he was cursing for allowing the girl to venture so far away, if she hadn't have fallen he wouldn't have had a clear shot at the beast. _'That was... too close. I'll have to remain in a close proximity to her in order to reduce the probability of this occurring a second time.'_

For a moment she could only stare at him for his strange choice of words before brushing it off as unimportant.

"I'm okay," she replied and pushed herself up off of the ground. In truth, her legs were shaking and the knowledge of just how close she'd come to being injured made her nauseous. If he hadn't been there the sow would have been on her before she could have even screamed for help.

She didn't have long to contemplate that idea before Shippo had launched himself through the air and hit her square in the chest. He'd been so scared seeing the animal charging her like that and he'd tried to reach her, but Father Tres had taken care of the problem before he could do anything about it.

"Maybe we should just go back to camp, Kagome. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind getting the wood instead," he said and then prayed she'd agree with him. Where there was one, there were more and the piglets wouldn't be left alone for long.

Kagome laughed weakly, "That's probably a good idea. Maybe Inuyasha hasn't left yet, I think dinner's just been taken care of." A strong breeze came through, causing the tree leaves to rustle with the wind. She knew that it wasn't likely to be another wild animal, but it was enough to get her moving anyway.

Father Tres frowned seeing how much trouble the miko was having in standing. Quickly he holstered his weapons and picked the girl up, ignoring her gasp of surprise. This would be the quickest way to get her back to camp; they could deal with the animal afterwards.

"We'll return to camp and inform them of what has happened," he said in an effort to explain his actions, but to his surprise, she hadn't complained. He'd almost expected some form of protest after the argument she'd gotten into earlier in the day with Inuyasha over the same thing. Yet she didn't and he was left to wonder if maybe it was because she knew that he and Father Nightroad didn't treat her as the weak female like the hanyou did.

Quickly he began walking with Shippo following closely behind, obviously keeping an eye out for anything else that might cause them trouble. Father Tres wasn't surprised however when a red blur came streaking towards them, quickly followed by the monk and the demon exterminator. The look of concern on Inuyasha's face quickly darkened, but he wasn't particularly concerned with what had irritated the man this time.

"What the hell happened?" Inuyasha asked his voice tight with anger. Even though he'd been some distance away, when he'd heard the gunshots he'd raced back and quickly passed Sango and Miroku who were coming to investigate as well. Seeing Kagome in the man's arms had made him think that she'd become injured somehow, but from here he could see nothing wrong with her.

"You should have seen it, Inuyasha! A boar came out and attacked Kagome, but Father Tres killed it with two shots! It didn't even stand a chance," Shippo replied excitedly, quick to point out just how helpful the man had been in the hope that it would prevent another outburst from the hanyou.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked in concern, checking her over a second time. A wild boar was nothing to play around with and the girl would have been helpless against an attack.

Kagome nodded wearily, but didn't try to pull herself out of her savior's arms. She was entirely too comfortable as it was. "I'm fine, Inuyasha, I just want to get back to camp. The boar isn't too far back there though if you want to get it ready to cook. It'll save you from going hunting tonight."

"Go and get it?" Inuyasha stared at her in disbelief, "You gotta be kidding me! Go and get it she says. What the hell are you thinking, that I'm just gonna go and clean up your mess? What the hell were you thinking by poking around where a wild boar was? I'm beginning to think you lost whatever common sense you had before you left which wasn't much to begin with!" Here he was worried that she might be injured and she blows him off by telling him to go gut a damned pig. _'What am I, her chore boy? The hell with that! He killed it, he can clean it!'_

"Excuse me?" Kagome yelled indignantly from her perch, "It's not like I went and poked the damned thing with a stick, I didn't even know it was there! Don't you dare call me stupid for not having the same nose you do."

"Even a human could smell a damned pig, Kagome. You just weren't paying attention to what you were doing," Inuyasha accused her, not willing to let it go; "Dammit you need to be more careful!"

"Ohhh! You're impossible, Inuyasha," Kagome retorted, fully intending on laying into him for being so stubborn, but the opportunity was taken out of her hands when Father Tres decided that he'd had enough of listening to them argue.

As they walked back towards camp, silence had descended once more and for that he was thankful. Listening to the two of them bicker had given him his very first headache and he was not enjoying the experience in the least. Had Kagome's voice gotten any higher he might well have told her to shut up, but as it was, he didn't particularly relish the thought of her anger being directed at him. It was no surprise to see Father Nightroad approaching from the direction of the camp, but his steps were unhurried. At least one of them had confidence in him to ensure the girl was safe.

"I take it the situation was handled," Father Nightroad said quietly, assessing what damage Kagome had sustained which appeared to be next to nothing. He'd heard the gunfire, but it had become immediately apparent it was nothing serious. Only two rounds fired had to be something relatively inconsequential as danger went.

"Positive, the others should be bringing back the kill soon," Father Tres replied and continued his walk towards the camp. He was more than ready to sit down himself and let the others do the work. The oddest sensation had been coursing through his body over the past several hours and now his stomach was twinging. He'd thought nothing of it at first, but now it was growing consistently worse. _'Hunger most likely. It will... take a while to grow accustomed to this new form.'_

"So what was it anyway?" Father Nightroad asked curiously. He had little knowledge of the wildlife in this particular part of the world, but some species were universal. Whatever it was, the animal wasn't likely to be any sort of carnivore given that they weren't often used as food items. The thought that it might have been a demon didn't even enter his mind since if it were; there would be no point in bringing it back to camp.

"A wild pig of all things," Kagome replied with a sigh. She knew that her reprieve was short lived because Inuyasha was likely to continue on his little tirade once he came back to the camp. She knew it was because he was worried, but dammit, she wasn't made of glass! Rather than dwell on that though, she looked up at Father Tres, "I didn't say it earlier, but thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome," Father Tres replied just as they strode into the camp. Carefully he set her down on the log they'd been sitting on earlier and moved to sit next to her. To his surprise, the fire was already going with what little wood the others had managed to get in the clearing, but it would need more fuel soon and in the turmoil none had been brought back with them.

Father Nightroad looked at how exhausted the two of them were and shook his head, "Perhaps next time you should remain at camp, Kagome. Until your body adapts, you're putting yourself at risk and you don't want to be injured or exhausted when we find Naraku."

"Are you kidding?" Kagome asked with a raised brow, "If I tried to get out of doing my part a certain someone would have my head. It's one thing if I'm sick, but with the way he's acting right now he'd call me lazy and tell me to do it anyway."

"You're doing him a disservice," Father Nightroad replied, "I explained the situation to him after you left and the reaction you're receiving now is out of concern, he's trying to protect you the only way he knows how. The problem is, you're no longer accustomed to his actions and you feel the need to push him away which makes it worse, resulting in an argument. You need to keep in mind that this is all a lot to accept, but he is trying."

"Calling me stupid is him acting concerned?" Kagome snorted at that particular thought, "Give me a break, I've known him longer than you have. Yeah, he's worried all right, but he's also annoyed that it isn't just us anymore. He did this when both Sango and Miroku joined the group too so it's nothing new."

"It's true you've known him longer than I have, but I'm only pointing out what I see," Father Nightroad responded patiently, "All I'm asking is for the both of you to take a step back and think before you react. If there is strife within the group, Naraku won't hesitate to use it against us."

"Fine, I'll give you that," Kagome said reluctantly. Naraku was known for exploiting any weakness he could and this time wouldn't be any exception. So she'd try harder to ignore the way that he baited her, but there was no way she was going to apologize for this one. Too much time had passed for her to put up with his or anyone else's insults.

The sound of someone's stomach rumbling saved her from any further lecture and Kagome couldn't stop the giggle at the look of confusion that appeared on her friend's face.

"Hungry?" she asked Father Tres, "I told you that you should have shared my lunch with me. It's probably going to be about an hour before dinner is ready, assuming they get back anytime soon."

"Actually I'd say we got back rather quickly, Lady Kagome," Miroku replied with amusement. Inuyasha had gutted the poor sow in record time just so he could get back to camp, and he'd been grumbling about not wanting to leave Kagome alone with the 'overgrown tin can' any longer than necessary. Of course, when he'd reminded him that Father Tres was indeed human now, the hanyou had snorted and proclaimed it didn't matter. Personally, Miroku was of the opinion that it had pricked at Inuyasha's ego to have someone else save the girl he himself had vowed to protect.

"We didn't take that damned long," Inuyasha said and dropped the burden he'd been carrying down on the ground with a thump. The hide slid open to reveal that he'd already taken the liberty of hacking the meat into manageable pieces and now all they needed to do was put them on a spit to cook.

"In that case, I'll go ahead and start the meat cooking," Kagome replied and started to push away from the log, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her, "Is something wrong, Father Nightroad?"

"Not at all, but I think you should just sit there. I can figure out how to do this," he said and walked towards the fire, "Now let's see, how should I do this?" He'd been camping more than once, but even those trips hadn't prepared him since he had brought with him all prepackaged meals. Now he didn't have that luxury so he was determined to figure out how to cook this on his own.

"Here, let me help," Sango said after a few moments of watching the priest try to figure out something that really wasn't all that difficult. Quickly she pulled out a knife and then grabbed one of the larger sticks they'd brought back for firewood. "You want to sharpen one end so that it pierces the meat easily," she instructed and then quickly sharpened the end to a point, repeating the process with another six sticks.

"I see, that's a very good idea," Father Nightroad replied and took the first sharpened stick from her. Carefully he chose a hunk of meat and then drove the spike through it, making sure that it was skewered properly before setting it aside. Before long he had enough meat to cook for the group and Inuyasha was setting the braces to rest the cooking meat over the fire.

Now that the meat was taken care of, all that was left to do was wait which according to Shippo, was the most boring part. Eagerly he made his way up over to Kagome and perched himself on her lap. "So," he began, looking over at Father Nightroad, "things must be really different where you come from."

"Why yes, they are as a matter of fact," he replied, wondering just what prompted that statement until he realized how silly he had to have looked staring at a stick like he'd never seen one before. _'So once again I've become an oddity. No matter, I will adapt just as I've done before.' _The thought came as he looked at his partner who seemed to be listening intently to whatever the miko was saying. _'Yes, I do believe we both will.'_


	8. Chapter Eight

_Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17_

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far. 

_Author's note: I may be a few days late in posting the next chapter since I'll be traveling to NC for the Animazement convention. Updates will resume once I return to FL._

_**Chapter Eight**_

It had been almost two weeks since that first night and they were no closer to finding any trace of Naraku than they had been when they'd first started the hunt. It didn't help matters that the sun was at its peak, beating down upon them relentlessly, sending both the temperatures and their tempers soaring. The only respite was the fact that there was a breeze that went to great lengths in making them just the slightest bit more comfortable. Unfortunately, it only did so much and the group eagerly looked forward to the point when they would come across the small streams and creeks that happened to be in their path.

Nor was there any attempt at conversation once it became clear that it would only lead to more arguments. Never before had there been quite so much tension between the group, but none of them knew just how to break it. Each was burdened with the knowledge of what was to come and they were dealing with it in the only way that they knew how. Yet none of them were willing to give up and it was that perseverance that kept them going even when they longed to stop for a while.

Eventually though, Inuyasha knew that the group would be forced to stop for a rest and he was keeping a close eye on his traveling companions for signs that they were pushing themselves too hard. Kagome was the one he was watching the closest and although she had given in and accepted Sango's offer to ride on Kirara for a bit, it wouldn't last long. With that heavy fur coat, even the fire cat was feeling the effects of the heat and Kagome wasn't about to push Kirara's endurance just to avoid walking for a few more steps on her own.

Fortunately, Inuyasha could scent the telltale signs of a village in the distance and he knew it would be a good stopping point. If nothing else, the others could rest while he questioned the villagers to see if there had been anything they deemed strange going on. What had surprised him was how well the two priests were holding up, he'd expected far more trouble with them than what he'd received.

The light scent of smoke reached Shippo's nose, causing it to twitch. "Is that a village up ahead?" Even he wouldn't feel ungrateful for the possibility of stopping, although he hadn't been walking all that much. There were an abundance of shoulders that he could perch himself on, making sure not to remain with one person for too long. To do so would not only end up in muscle strain for his ride, but it would also call attention to the fact that he really couldn't be bothered to walk if he didn't have to.

"Yeah it is. I think it's time we started questioning some of the locals," Inuyasha replied as he started to scan the surrounding area. While nothing seemed out of place, something still felt slightly off. His intuition told him it wasn't Naraku, but that didn't necessarily mean that they'd walk away from this area without learning something.

The announcement brought an undercurrent of excitement to the group, but Kagome didn't join in. Instead she was staring at the way Inuyasha was walking, taking in his tense posture and the way his hand lingered on the hilt of his sword.

"You sense that something is wrong, don't you?" she asked quietly which immediately quieted the others down. Even if they didn't always get along, Kagome trusted Inuyasha and if his gut instincts were telling him that something was out of place the message had best be heeded.

A quick glance was directed at Kagome and Inuyasha nodded, "Something's been here recently." With each step that brought them closer to the village, the feeling of unease increased and it was finally made clear when the breeze shifted. "Shit," Inuyasha cursed, "we've wandered into panther demon territory. They're close but they're not directly in the village."

"We are getting close to the mountains again. I'd like to think that it might be the humans that encroached on their territory this time, but we have no way to be sure," Sango replied, her brow furrowing with concern, "as much as I hate to say it, we might not be able to rest just yet."

Even as Tres was moving closer to Kagome now that there was an identified potential threat nearby, Father Nightroad had moved up into the fore of the group until he was walking next to Inuyasha, "So who is the panther tribe? It sounds like they've given you trouble before," he asked, needing to know just what they were about to walk into.

"Not this group exactly," Inuyasha said quietly and altered the group's direction so they wouldn't head directly into the village, "We met another tribe back a few years ago. They'd taken an entire village hostage and they were going to sacrifice them so they could resurrect their God. Unfortunately, they managed to bring the bastard back but he turned on them and killed half of the demons who were responsible." There was no chance that this particular tribe was attempting the same thing, but that didn't mean that he trusted their intentions to be benevolent towards the villagers.

"So then, how did you defeat their God?" Father Nightroad asked curiously. The Catholic Church proclaimed that there was only one God and anything else was heresy, but as he was learning, things were not quite so cut and dry. While he didn't know if this panther god was an actual god or in fact a demon, it was clear that the beliefs of these people were vastly different from his own.

"Keh, me and my bastard brother ended up taking the rest of them out along with their God. That bastard ain't coming back, but that doesn't mean they ain't up to no good. Sooner or later they'll end up going after the villagers so it's better that we check it out now and deal with them if it's going to be a problem," Inuyasha gritted out, his expression turning to one of grim determination. He wasn't about to allow the demons to sacrifice these humans or any others for some hare-brained scheme.

"But if these demons haven't done anything," Father Nightroad protested weakly. Perhaps it was the pacifist in him but he was reluctant to hunt down these particular demons that weren't necessarily causing any trouble. In fact, the village looked to be rather peaceful and it was a hope, however slight, that they were coexisting peacefully.

Normally Miroku wasn't one to advocate violence without cause, but in this instance even he wasn't too keen on allowing this to go by without at least checking it out.

"You should know that the last panther demons we ran into kidnapped Kagome and were intending to kill her as well," he said, knowing full well that if Father Nightroad's protective instincts didn't come into play then Father Tres' would. He'd been watching the two closely and he was beginning to wonder if the tall man followed her so closely just because of his orders or if it was because he genuinely liked her.

"Should they make such an attempt this time, they will be eliminated," Father Tres replied and looked to Father Nightroad, his expression hardening. It was yet another of the differences between them. While Father Nightroad preferred to give people the benefit of the doubt, he dealt in absolutes whenever possible. The fact was the panther demons had been known to cause problems before and hearing that the miko had already been a target for them once didn't sit well with him at all.

"Very well, we can at least investigate. Perhaps they are checking their borders and have no ill intentions," Father Nightroad said, acquiescing for the time being. It would seem that the others knew these types of demons better than he did and for now, he would follow their lead.

"Not likely," Inuyasha scoffed, "these demons care about one thing, themselves. You need to get it through your head, Nightroad, demons hate humans. If they're in the vicinity then they're obviously up to no good." Sooner or later the man would come to realize just how different things were from his own time. He just hoped that Abel figured it out quickly or he just might end up getting someone hurt in the process. But he'd worry about that later; there were more pressing things on his mind. Abruptly he stopped, causing the others to do so as well.

"Kagome, why don't you and Tres go to the village? There's no need for you to be in the middle of this fight," he said quietly, hoping that for once she'd agree. Not only was she tired but also she didn't have a weapon which would leave her depending on the others to keep her safe.

"Why should I remain behind? I can fight too," Kagome began to protest and then realized she didn't even have a bow with her. That was easily remedied, however, as it would only take a few minutes to detour to the village. Surely one of them would be willing to supply her with a weapon and then she could stand beside the others if it came to a fight.

"Right, and I suppose you plan to fight with your bare hands," Inuyasha said and rolled his eyes in exasperation, "besides, it'll be safer for you there. Let us handle this garbage, it won't take long."

"If it's no big deal then it shouldn't matter if I come or not," Kagome argued although something told her this was one battle she wasn't going to win. It was in the expressions on the faces of everyone around her and for once, she felt like an outsider looking in.

"Kagome, maybe you should go to the village," Sango said carefully, not wanting to set off the miko's temper, "it's been a long day, and everyone is tired. You could get a bow and come back but by then there's a chance the fight would be over anyway. Why don't you and Father Tres see about procuring rooms for the night?" It was a weak attempt at placating Kagome's need to help, but it was the best that Sango could come up with on such short notice. She could only hope that it would be enough.

"But," Kagome said uncertainly, her gaze shifting from Sango to Inuyasha and then back again. "I thought that we were only going to be stopping for a little bit, we'll be losing hours of daylight that we could be searching."

"Keh, you're forgetting that we might learn from these demons just where Naraku is. If he's nearby we're not going after him without some preparation which includes getting you a bow," Inuyasha said as if the idea was his to begin with. Truthfully, he'd planned on packing up and moving on after stopping for a few minutes to rest, but if this was what it took to get Kagome to give in then so be it.

For a moment Kagome said nothing, debating the sincerity of Inuyasha's words. She'd seen what the panther demons could do before, but Inuyasha had gotten considerably stronger since then. Not to mention the fact that Father Nightroad would be with them as well, and although she hadn't seen him fight yet, she knew that he could be a dangerous opponent when he felt the need. "Fine, but you better not be lying, Inuyasha. It'll be nice to have a hot bath for a change," she said and then grabbed Tres' hand, "Let's go. I'm sure we can find something to do in the village while we wait on them."

"Positive," Father Tres replied and allowed the girl to drag him off towards the village. Keeping her safe there would be easy enough and she seemed to be in an amiable mood, which was always a plus. While he himself would prefer to fight alongside Father Nightroad, keeping the miko safe was one of the mission priorities.

Inuyasha watched the pair head off towards the village and shook his head, "Well, at least she'll be out of the way for now, although something tells me if we don't wrap this up, she'll be coming to see what's taking so long." He could picture the girl doing exactly that, too. "Maybe I should have warned him to sit on her if she so much as moves towards the door," he muttered beneath his breath.

"As amusing as that visual is, I'm sure that he wouldn't need to resort to such measures," Father Nightroad said, although, the mental image of the man doing just that had made its way into his mind. _'Poor girl, it's a good thing he's no longer an android. He would have crushed her.'_

"You don't know Kagome very well, do you?" Shippo replied with amusement before dashing off after the retreating miko. Given the choice, he'd rather stay with her than possibly become a target for some overgrown feline. Especially when there was the possibility that he'd be able to convince her to grab him something to eat, he was rather hungry after doing all that traveling.

"Such a precocious child," Father Nightroad murmured and then shrugged his shoulders, "Well then, shall we go?" The sooner they finished this little side trip the sooner they could rest. _'Perhaps I can persuade them into providing a cup of tea.'_

"Right, let's move," Inuyasha replied, immediately falling back into his natural role of the group leader. His sensitive sense of smell was what guided them in the direction they needed to go and it wasn't long before he realized that this group of demons wasn't as small as he'd first suspected. Even from here he could tell that there were at least ten individuals, something that only solidified his belief that they were up to no good. "Be careful everyone, we're not that far away from them."

"How many?" Sango asked, her eyes scanning the tree line warily. Their continued advance didn't seem to be attracting any attention but she wasn't going to be lured into a false sense of security. The panthers were cunning and had adapted to the environment in order to survive. Stealth was a way of life for them and they wouldn't be seen until they decided to reveal themselves.

"Ten, maybe more," Inuyasha replied quietly. Every one of his senses were screaming at him, alerting him to the danger that lurked just ahead, but still he pushed on and before long the forest enveloped them. Except for their footfalls it was silent, not even the birds dared to call out a warning to them.

"But where are they?" Miroku murmured quietly. The shadows seemed to engulf the surrounding area, hiding the forest's secrets from their view, but he knew that the enemy was near and they had to be prepared. Already he was reaching within the folds of his robes for a handful of sutras in preparation for the upcoming battle.

"All around you," Isamu, leader of the panther demons called out from his perch in a nearby tree, "What is your purpose for trespassing upon our lands, half breed?" They'd smelled the foul stench of the dog from nearly a mile away and waited patiently to see if he would come. However, it was no surprise to see the hanyou standing before them. It was in both of their bloods for the two races to fight and nothing would change that.

"I think you've got it wrong you stupid cat, you're the one trespassing on the villager's land. So why don't you pack your shit and leave, before you get hurt," Inuyasha ground out and cracked his knuckles for emphasis. The ultimatum wasn't necessary though, he'd known from the beginning what the answer would be. So when the ice shard was thrown at his head it didn't come as any surprise and he leapt out of the way easily.

"Foolish dog, always believing that you can defeat us. Neither you nor the humans will drive us from our rightful lands! As for your pathetic threats, you will not find us such easy opponents like the southern tribe was," Isamu called out arrogantly and leaped to another tree easily, not wanting to provide a clear target for the hanyou nor the humans that had followed him.

"Tch, one stupid cat is just like another," Inuyasha replied and drew the Tetsusaiga from its scabbard, "prepare to die!" As he spoke, he unleashed the wind scar and watched the unleashed energy race across the ground on a collision course with his opponent. The tree took the full force of the blow and exploded in a shower of debris. "Keh, too easy," he said arrogantly, "how about the rest of you? Are ya gonna be stupid like your leader or are ya gonna leave like I told you?"

"You truly are an idiot, hanyou," Isamu scoffed from his new perch, "your attack is far too slow. Did you really think that I would fall so easily?" His eyes gleamed in the darkness, carefully gauging his opponent. Even from this distance he could see the wind twining around the massive blade and that was what would give him the advantage over the hanyou every time. By the time the fool could unleash an attack, he'd already be moving out of harm's way.

A scowl appeared on Inuyasha's face and he turned to face that mocking voice, "So you're fast. That don't mean shit really if all you're doing is running, but then what else should I expect from a cat? Stand still and fight, you coward!" Viciously he leapt forward, raising the Tetsusaiga high over his head, his intent clear. Out of the shadows, Isamu materialized and Inuyasha smirked, he had a clear shot now and he didn't plan on wasting it.

"Raging storm," Isamu whispered while stretching his hands towards the skies. The slight breeze that surrounded his body intensified immediately and began leeching off of his youki, lending power to the attack he was about to unleash. The sheer force alone was enough to rebuff the hanyou and send him crashing back to the ground. A smirk formed upon the panther's face when he noticed the minuscule tears in the man's haori, no doubt caused by the shards of ice blowing about on the wind.

"Take cover," Sango shouted, hoping that the others would hear her over the wind. It sounded like a tornado was coming through and she knew that without some sort of protection, they were likely to be torn to pieces by the ice. Apparently the others had heard her though if the way they were pulling back meant anything. Only Inuyasha remained, most likely because he was too hard headed to concede that even he could bleed to death with enough injuries.

"Like hell if I'm going to run," Inuyasha shouted back and stood his ground. _'Let them retreat if they want, I'll be the one to take this bastard out.' _So the panther could throw around some cold air, his haori should be more than enough to counter most, if not all of that.

"Idiot," Sango swore beneath her breath and turned to face Miroku who was using a large tree to shield himself from most of the storm. The winds were getting fierce and the ice was now cutting through some of the more fragile branches, causing the foliage to further reduce visibility. "We need to get out of here, we can't fight under these conditions," she shouted, hoping that both the monk and Father Nightroad would be able to hear her. With the wind blowing so strongly, Miroku's ofuda would be rendered useless and her main weapon now was the katana at her side. She hadn't managed to get back to the village to replace her hiraikotsu, not that it would have done much good in these conditions anyway.

Their prey was escaping, but Michiko merely looked on in amusement from her spot in the shadows. At her side stood Natsu, her twin. Even he seemed to be enjoying the way they were scurrying about, trying to avoid their leader's attack because he didn't make a move to stop them. Of course, it could have been fun trapping the three within their own minds, leaving them helpless to the storms onslaught but they wanted to play. It was curious though, from what she remembered there were three males and two females in the group that had killed Naraku, one of which was a child. "It seems they've lost the miko and the kitsune, dear brother. Wherever could they be?" she asked in amusement. If the rumors were true, the dog wouldn't have let the female out of his sight unless it came to a battle. She had to be hiding somewhere.

"Ah, you're as perceptive as ever, Michiko," Natsu replied with a smile, "I was wondering when you would notice that the group split up before coming to us. I imagine that even now she's making herself comfortable in the village with the kitsune and the male left as her guardian." He could see the cruel expression crossing over his sister's face and knew that a hunt was about to begin. It would bring great status to their tribe if they were the ones to slaughter the famous miko who had destroyed Naraku.

"Someone should tell her it's impolite to skip out on formal introductions," Michiko purred in satisfaction, "Such a naughty girl to breech protocol like that, she needs a lesson in manners." And she'd take great satisfaction in being the one to give it to the miko as well. Her human guardian wasn't a concern; he would fall first should he make the mistake of getting in their way. Besides, they had a score to settle. Everyone who had participated in the slaughter of the southern tribe would die; it was only a matter of time.

"Indeed, dear sister," Natsu replied thoughtfully before his gaze landed on their companions. A calculating look crossed his face before he made a decision, "Toshi, you will follow the monk and the slayer along with Kuri, Kozue and Haruko. Deal with them however you wish, just don't let them leave this forest alive."

"Perfect," Michiko nodded with satisfaction, "the rest of you will follow us. We will deal with the miko in our own fashion. _'There is no way she can hope to take on six of us at once and live. I'll enjoy feasting on her blood even before its had a chance to cool.' _

"We'll take care of them and join you once we're finished here," Toshi replied, his voice hard with determination. Gut instinct told him that the miko wouldn't be an easy target and it was quite likely that she'd still be fighting by the time they finished with these three. "Kuri, Kozue, you know what to do," he said, gaining the twin's attention.

"Of course," Kuri snapped at the elder male in irritation before leaping off the tree branch and racing after the three retreating humans. Soft footfalls reached his ears, alerting him that his twin was following just as he'd expected. Carefully he reached out for the other's mind, neither daring to speak a word and give away their location. _'Are you ready?'_

_'Quite. We just need to get ahead of the fools and cut off their escape. Once we get their minds subdued, Toshi and Haruko can pick them off with ease.'_ Kozue left the thin mental thread between them in place and quickened his pace. Their method of attack was dangerous and nearly unstoppable, but it left them at an extreme disadvantage since both of their minds would turn inward to confront their enemies. Having backup on the outside became necessary since that would be the only thing keeping them from dying by an unseen attack.

Once Sango was certain they were a sufficient distance away from the storm she slowed and looked her companions over. Neither of them seemed to be worse for wear thankfully since she was well aware of the fact that they'd been followed. "Stay alert you two, we've got company," she said quietly before reaching for her sword. As of now, she was wishing she'd brought extra masks for the two men so she could use one of her poisons, but since she hadn't, she needed to make do with what she had.

A sigh escaped Father Nightroad's lips before he drew his gun, preparing to take aim on any demon that made an adequate target. Any chance of resolving this peacefully was gone and now they were going to be forced to fight. As if on cue, two panther demons materialized out of the shadows directly in front of them. Clearly they had something in mind since they'd positioned themselves close enough that they could touch, yet, far enough away that they couldn't be taken out in one hit. Carefully he sighted the pistol on one and called out to them clearly, "Hear me now; this does not need to come to bloodshed. Leave now and we will each go our separate ways."

"You're forgetting it's you who are trespassing on our lands and we don't see the purpose in allowing you to leave. It was your leader which instigated the fight, we shall finish it," Kozue replied icily and reached out to take his twin's hand. The second they touched the connection intensified and his eyes blazed with a hypnotic fury which was meant to ensnare their prey.

It was the slightest hint of movement off to the left which distracted Father Nightroad and enabled him to escape the mental connection that the panther established within a matter of seconds. The sound of Sango's katana hitting the ground was what alerted him to the fact that there was something terribly wrong. "Sango," he shouted, hoping to gain her attention but she remained unmoving, her eyes fixed on the demons in front of them. "Release them at once," he growled and leveled the revolver at the demon he'd traded words with only a few moments before, but he got no answer.

"Fool, your opponent is me," Toshi snarled and knocked the pistol out of the human's hand before he could get a shot off. Easily he could see Haruko circling around to the man's other side and waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. First they would take care of this particular nuisance and then they'd be able to deal with the other two at their leisure.

"If you insist," Father Nightroad replied and deftly moved out of the way of what would have been a nasty slash of the claws and retrieved his gun before they could stop him. Clearly these two weren't playing and each took turns at attempting to drive him within striking distance of the other. It made it difficult to get a clear shot in, but when the opportunity presented itself, he took it. The sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the trees, but the feline was far too fast and the bullet embedded itself into a nearby tree.

"Even your pathetic weapon will not be able to save you," Haruko snapped and rushed at the human, using his momentum to throw the silver haired male off balance when he drove his shoulder into a soft, unprotected side. A kick followed, throwing the strange human back into a nearby tree. "Finish him, Toshi and then we can join the others in feasting upon the miko's flesh," he said, wanting to get this fight over with. _'Perhaps she will be a better opponent than any of these simpletons.'_

While the impact had hurt, it hadn't taken Father Nightroad out of contention. If anything, it made him more determined than ever now that he knew they intended on pursuing someone who had nothing to do with the current situation. "You leave me no choice then," he whispered to the approaching male who clearly meant to claim his life, "Nanomachine Crusnik 02, power output forty percent, activate." There was no need for anything stronger, not for these demons who had to rely on mind control in order to win their battles.

The transformation was immediate and it halted Toshi in his tracks. "What are you?" he whispered in horror, watching the man's hair lift upwards on some invisible breeze and his inky black wings unfurl. The very idea that this man was a demon was unthinkable, there wasn't any youki to be felt, but he certainly wasn't human either. Shaking his head quickly, he prepared to spring. Whatever the man was, it didn't matter. He was still going to die.

"What I am not important," Father Nightroad replied coldly and readied his scythe to block whatever attack the demon might throw at him. Had he been a normal human, he wouldn't have seen where the two felines disappeared. But he had the sight and as such, he wasn't going to be misled so easily. The attack came from the side, too quickly for most to see, but he was ready. Just as the panther came within range, he lashed out with the scythe and cut clean through the male's shoulder, severing his arm. Blood splattered the ground liberally and the shriek of agonized pain could without a doubt be heard all the way down in the village.

"You bastard," Haruko snarled in fury, "you're going to die for this!" Anger coursed through his body, lending strength to the power he was gathering in each of his hands. Play time was over; it was time to get serious. With a cruel smile he hurled twin bolts of lightning, knowing that it wouldn't matter where they impacted. The electricity would spread out to the surrounding area and engulf the man in its hellish embrace before he could think to move out of the immediate area.

The thought that the demon sought to use electricity against him was amusing to say the least and the look on his opponent's face when the attack failed brought a smile to his lips. "To survive you must know your opponent, but that is a lesson that may be too late for even you to learn," he said coldly and then moved as quickly as the demon had mere moments ago. Yet Haruko made an attempt to escape, seeking to prolong his life even if it was by only a few moments. Eagerly, Father Nightroad gave chase and just when the panther was certain he had a chance of escaping, he struck. The blow struck the panther's legs and sliced easily through the bone, cutting them off just above the knees. Ruthlessly he allowed the scythe to continue its arc upwards, cutting into one of the twins that held his teammates immobile.

The feel of warm blood splattering against Sango's cheek along with the break in the web that had them enthralled, broke the hold that it had on her. Shock and surprise stunned her for a moment, whatever she'd been expecting; it certainly wasn't what she was seeing now.

"Father Nightroad?" she gasped in surprise, making him pause in his advance towards the last remaining demon. When she'd listened to Kagome speak of the vampires in her books, what she'd imagined certainly wasn't the way the priest was appearing now. He looked positively demonic with the way his features had sharpened, becoming more delicate than she'd thought possible.

"Lady Sango, look out!" Miroku yelled, seeing that in her astonishment she'd left herself wide open to attack. _'Dammit, if she's going to do this every time he turns then I'm going to have to grow eyes in the back of my head to protect her!' _ Quickly he threw the ofuda and hit the panther square in the chest, buying just enough time for her to react.

"Dammit," Sango snarled and launched an attack of her own. The ofuda would only work for so long and she didn't want to waste what advantage Miroku had given her. Before the panther could react she plunged the blade deep into his chest, piercing the heart cleanly. A strangled cry of pain escaped the demon's lips but she didn't let up on the pressure until her sword erupted from his back. Only then did she yank it free and allow the demon to fall to his knees with his lifeblood pouring out.

Before either of them could start firing questions at him, Father Nightroad held up a hand, "We must check on Kagome, apparently the others split off the main group to deal with her and Father Tres." He didn't have to tell them just how worried he was about that particular situation. He'd seen how effective his revolver had been against the four that had confronted them. Even though Father Tres was still considerably faster than he was, he doubted it would do much good in this instance. No, something more would be needed to take care of the demons and he was afraid that they would be virtually defenseless. No words were spoken as the three of them took off running towards the village, trusting that Inuyasha was indeed holding his own against Isamu.

_In the village_

"I can't help but feel I should be out there," Kagome said with a sigh and looked out the window of the room they'd found themselves in. They were far enough away from the forest that they couldn't hear the sounds of battle, but the occasional flash of light told her that at the very least, Inuyasha was using his wind scar.

Calmly, Father Tres regarded her, contemplating just how the miko before him shared some similarities with his fellow AX members. It was strange, in many ways she was a lot like Sister Esther with her willingness to throw herself into her work. But in other ways she reminded him of the Cardinal with the single minded determination and the ability to use whatever force she deemed necessary to get what she wanted. As a matter of fact, that was exactly what she was attempting now, although she wasn't blatantly proclaiming she was going, yet anyway.

"We will remain here until the others return," he stated calmly even though he knew it wasn't the answer she wanted. He hadn't come all this way, abandoned everything he'd ever known and turned human just so the girl he was meant to protect could run out and get herself killed.

"But what happens if they need us out there?" Kagome countered, slightly miffed that the dejected expression hadn't worked on him, "All of our friends are out there right now and the panther demons aren't pushovers. I should know I've dealt with them before." So she'd been kidnapped at the time, but pointing that out right this second probably wouldn't help her case any. "I can get a bow and we can head out there before the fight is over," she tried to sound casual as she waited to hear what his next words would be.

"Negative, your friends would not appreciate your efforts and it could endanger the mission," Father Tres replied, not the least bit swayed by her little speech. It was clear that she was concerned for the others but he wasn't about to change his mind. It was then that he noticed the determined set to her jaw line and he knew that she was about to up the stakes.

"If you don't want to go then fine, stay here. I'm going to find the others. Shippo, you stay here with Kirara and protect Father Tres, I'll be back," Kagome said and began to walk towards the door, intent on finding the inn keeper. Surely the man would be able to lend her a bow so that she would at least be useful.

Although the conversation had been amusing to a point, being told to stay behind was not something Shippo intended on doing. "Kagome, wait," he called out and jumped up from his place where he'd been sitting on the floor.

However, allowing either of them to leave wasn't going to be tolerated. Before Kagome could reach the door, Tres had closed the distance between them and grabbed her wrist in a gentle but firm grip. "I cannot permit you to leave at this time," he felt compelled to say even though he knew she wasn't going to listen, "go back to the futon, I'm sure they will return soon."

"No, if you want to make sure that I'm safe then come with me. I know how to fight, I'm not going to sit here and do nothing," Kagome said and snatched her arm out of his grip. While she could understand his concern, she wasn't going to sit back and allow the others to fight all of the battles without her regardless of what anyone else thought.

Steeling himself for the battle he knew was coming, Father Tres grabbed the miko around the waist this time and hauled her up over his shoulder, "Negative, I will not permit you to leave until the others return." There was more than one way to ensure that she didn't move and if he had to, he'd tie her up to gain her compliance. _'I wonder if Shippo would go and acquire a length of rope in order to restrain her.'_

"What are you doing?" Kagome squeaked from her position over his shoulder. The move had taken her completely by surprise and now all she could do was hang on as best as she could. "Dammit, put me down," she said, beginning to struggle in his grip.

Having reached the futon he saw no need to deny the request, so he sat Kagome down on the mat. The indignant look she gave him nearly had him chuckling in amusement, but somehow he managed to refrain and keep his stern expression firmly in place.

"That wasn't funny and if you don't watch it, you might find yourself with your own necklace just like Inuyasha," Kagome said with a huff and pushed herself up to her feet a second time. The slightly raised eyebrow that the priest was giving her made her scowl in irritation. _'Oh he's taunting me now to see what I'm going to do!' _ Straightening her clothing she began marching towards the door again and had nearly made it when for the second time in as many minutes, she found herself upside down and dangling from his shoulder.

Quickly he carried her back to the futon and without warning the miko, Father Tres deposited her on the futon again, staring at her to see just whether or not she would comply after failing a second time, "This is becoming tedious, remain seated. You will not accomplish your goal."

"Hey, you could have put me down a little easier you know," Kagome groused and glared up at the redhead. The slight snicker coming from her left immediately grabbed her attention, turning her irritation on the kitsune sitting beside her, "It's not funny, Shippo!"

Although her glare intensified, he felt fairly certain that she wouldn't take serious offense to his amusement. _'If nothing else I'm sure Father Tres will protect me seeing that I have to survive in the future.'_

"Well that's not going to happen again," she said pointedly, looking first at Shippo and then at the priest staring at her. Again there was that gleam in his eye that told her he was silently laughing at her and it pissed her off further. _'Fine, you want to play? We can play.' _Before Father Tres could figure out what she was doing, she'd made a dash for the window with the intent of climbing through it. _'Once I get outside he won't bother with this slinging me over his shoulder garbage.'_

But the action was something he'd been expecting and as she prepared to dive through the window he grabbed her for the third time. Kagome; however, had no intentions of going quietly and now that she wasn't in danger of falling on her head, she began to struggle in his grip.

"Cease your struggles, Kagome," Father Tres replied sharply but the command went ignored. Just as he was preparing to let her go and reposition his hold, her foot managed to connect with the wall which gave her just enough leverage to completely upset his balance. Feeling himself falling backwards, Tres braced himself for impact but something he couldn't compensate for was the miko's weight landing on his chest.

The muffled groan beneath her had Kagome stilling in place, his struggles ceasing for the moment, "Oh my God, I'm sorry!" She didn't want to think about how hard the floor was, especially with her weight adding to the problem. Quickly she scrambled off of the fallen man and spun around. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, her plan of running from the inn abandoned.

"Positive," he replied even though he was certain his ribs would be aching for a few days to come. One thing he would never do was underestimate her determination to get what she wanted, that was for certain. She could have broken her neck attempting a reckless move like that, but it hadn't deterred her trying.

"Heh, sorry about that," Kagome replied uneasily, debating on just what her chances were of making it to the door before he managed to get up. _'Well since he's alright, I don't suppose I need to stay here, do I?' _With that thought in mind she spun in place and ran for the door, saying a quick prayer that she would make it this time. But luck wasn't on her side this time either and a warm hand wrapped around her ankle, yanking her to the floor roughly, "Dammit, Tres! You're like static cling, what's it take to get you off?"

The struggling girl continued to flail and at one point nearly escaped his grip. As a last ditch effort, he pinned her in place with his own body, ignoring the scandalized gasp coming from the kitsune and the surprised squeak coming from the fire cat.

"You are being irrational," he said sternly, although his words seemed to make absolutely no difference. In fact, it only seemed to increase her struggles which caused a reaction in his body that he certainly wasn't accustomed to. Whatever it was, it was certainly making him uncomfortable and just when he began to ponder the reaction, Kagome stilled, her eyes going wide with surprise.

"Oh my God," Kagome whispered and froze in place. There was _no _mistaking just what was pressing against her leg and by the confused look on his face, Father Tres had no idea what was going on. This certainly hadn't been what she'd been thinking of when she'd decided to make a break for it and now she didn't know just _how_ to get out of this particular predicament. Mortification filled her knowing that she'd put herself in a compromising position with a _priest_ of all people. What would the others say if they were to walk in and see just what she'd done? "I... I'm..." she began, not entirely sure what to say.

Curiously, Father Tres stared down into Kagome's face, taking note of her stunned expression. Carefully, he pushed up on his hands to get a better look at her which caused the lower half of his body to rub up against her again. The sensation was... odd and not exactly unpleasant, but the more interesting result was the squeak it got out of the girl beneath him.

"Status report, Kagome. Why is your face turning red?" he asked, shifting against her a third time, thinking that perhaps his weight was a bit too much for her smaller form.

"It's... nothing," Kagome hurried on to say and placed her hands firmly against his chest, "umm... Do you mind letting me up now?" She prayed that the question would distract him enough to drop that particular line of questioning. _'Oh man, I hadn't even thought about __**that **__aspect of him becoming human. How the hell am I supposed to explain this one? Better yet, can I pawn it off on one of the guys without having to explain why he needs to know?'_

"Are you going to attempt an escape again?" Father Tres asked, for once enjoying that he'd managed to set her off balance, "If so we can remain in this position until the others return." Drastic times called for drastic measures and if this is what it took to keep her from so foolishly running off then he doubted that any of the others would blame him for taking such a step.

"I'd think you better agree, Kagome. I think he's serious," Shippo replied from his spot on the futon. Even he didn't know what to make of the situation, but one thing was for certain, he didn't want to see what would happen if Inuyasha and the others caught them in such a compromising position. It wouldn't matter just what had caused it, the hanyou would hit the roof in thinking that Kagome had been taken advantage of. _'Never mind that it's Kagome's fault they ended up like that.'_

"Okay, I promise I won't try to leave again. Just please, get off," she said quietly and then breathed a sigh of relief when he did as she asked. Really, he was cute and all, but she really hadn't _looked_ at him like that. _'Aren't Catholic priests supposed to have taken a vow of chastity or something? Oh man, I might be responsible for tempting him and not even knowing it!'_ Eagerly she pulled herself up off of the floor and prepared for the apology she was going to have to give. Yet as soon as she looked up at him her eyes widened in shock, "Father Tres, what are you..."

"Get down," Father Tres ordered harshly and the moment she'd hit the floor he fired off a round, hitting the demon that was rushing towards the open doorway. It took the beast square in the shoulder, but instead of going down like it was supposed to the panther kept coming.

The sound was deafening and Kagome could do little but cover her ears against the noise. Unsure of what was going on; she scrambled behind the redhead and looked towards the door in growing horror. Outside there had to be at least six panther demons and every one of them looked to be determined on getting into the room. It was then that she realized that the window was open and making sure to remain behind Tres, she raced towards the opening in order to shut it. "Dammit, I've got to shut the window!"

"Negative. Kirara, remove Shippo and Kagome from the immediate area while I dispense of the threat," he replied coldly but never took his eyes off of the doorway. Gunfire was holding the demons back but for how long he wasn't certain. He'd managed to hit the one but it wasn't a fatal blow by any means. In fact, the demon seemed to have shrugged the wound off like it was nothing, leaving him to wonder just how effective his weapon was even going to be.

"Are you crazy?" Kagome shouted even as Kirara assumed her larger form, not caring about the damage the flames would do to the flooring. Already Shippo was climbing on the fire cat's back and preparing to make a run for it so it was of no surprise when Kirara head butted her in a reminder to get moving. "I'm not leaving him, go ahead, and go, Kirara!"

For a moment Kirara seemed to be indecisive, but a decision was going to need to be made quickly. There was no way for her to take Kagome unless she willingly got on her back since the window was far too small to drag the girl through. As it was, she would barely fit with her mounted and the miko would be forced to crouch low over her shoulders. But to remain would mean keeping Shippo in danger as well and eventually she was forced to accept the fact that Kagome would not abandon the priest. With a nod of her head acknowledging the command, she leapt through the window and took the kitsune clear of the danger.

Kagome stared after the retreating fire cat and knew that she'd made the right choice. There was no way in hell she was going to just leave Father Tres here to fight the damned things by himself, there had to be something that she could do. For now though she stayed behind the man while watching the demons carefully. They seemed to have figured out that so long as they didn't give the man a clear shot, he wasn't going to land a killing blow. All that he was managing to do was waste his ammunition with how quickly they were darting out of the way. _'What's going to happen when the clips run out? We'll both be helpless then!'_

It was a concern that was bothering Tres as well and he'd taken to only firing when he was certain he had a clean shot. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the demons from moving at the last minute. It was as if they knew that his ammo was limited although he was certain they'd never seen weapons like his before. It was a vexing problem and the miko remaining behind only made things worse.

After seeing yet another bullet graze one of the panther demons, Kagome bit back a curse. This just wasn't working and something had to give soon. _'If only I had my arrows, I could take the damned things out then.' _The thought continued to plague her for several long moments before she got an idea. Quickly she moved to stand beside Father Tres, although she didn't reach for him right away. In combat mode, she wasn't sure how he'd react. "I have an idea," she said quietly, knowing that he would hear her, "do you trust me?"

"Positive," Father Tres responded immediately, although he didn't take his eyes off the door. It almost seemed as if the demons were playing with them now which gave them just a bit of time to think of an alternate plan. The question was what did the miko have in mind?

Hearing that simple word, allowed Kagome to breathe a sigh of relief. "Just work with me here," she said and began to focus her power into her hands. It was difficult reining the rouge energy in, but before long her hands were glowing with the energy. Only then did she lay them gently on his hand while being careful not to interfere with his ability to fire the gun. With satisfaction she watched the glow beginning to seep into the weapon. "When you have a shot, take it," she said, her confidence beginning to grow with each passing moment.

A slow smile crossed his face when he figured out just what Kagome was doing. While he had no idea if it would work or not, he wasn't about to go without testing her little idea. What was truly amusing; however, was that the demons themselves didn't seem to realize the mortal peril they were now in. As was the pattern, two demons rushed towards the door at once and immediately Father Tres trained the gun on the first one. The laser sighting landed squarely in the middle of the panther's chest and he squeezed the trigger. Unsurprisingly, the demon moved to the side but he was ready for that and the second bullet traveled directly into the path that his opponent had taken. Not even a cry of pain managed to escape the enemy's lips when the bullet slammed into its shoulder and the purifying energy that surrounded it destroyed the demon from the inside out.

"Natsu!" Michiko cried out in horror. Heedless of her own safety she rushed to him, thinking that there might be something she could do. More gunfire rang out, but she was oblivious to the danger she'd put herself in. Two bullets pierced her body and the holy energy slammed into her, forcing her head back in a silent scream of agony. The pain was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before and the last thing she saw before her life was extinguished was the triumphant look on the miko's face.

"Ha! Two down," Kagome said excitedly, although she was careful not to take her hands from the priest's hand. While she had no idea exactly how many were left, this discovery just evened up the odds for them and she wasn't going to feel regret for the killings that had just happened.

"Premature celebration is not advised at the moment," Father Tres said calmly, keeping his gaze on the demons lurking just outside the building. They had taken a far more cautious approach now and he could see the calculating expressions even from where he stood. Now more than ever the demons were determined to eliminate them, if nothing else in revenge for the two deaths the miko had just caused.

"Oh, don't be like that. We got two of them, I'd say that's pretty darn good considering we never tried this before," Kagome replied. It didn't matter if he wanted to be cautious about it, their chances were a damned sight better than what they were and that had a tendency of boosting hope, if even just a little. Yet a feeling of unease settled in the pit of her stomach when the demons outside vanished from sight, "Wait, where did they go?"

"We must relocate," Tres stated quietly and looked towards the window. As he thought there was a shadow lurking just beyond, "Back up carefully, we must maintain a secure position." There was no way that he could cover both the door and the window from the position they were standing in now, but from the corner he would be able to keep them both in sight.

_'Careful he says. I guess now would be a bad time to remind him that I've got two left feet and I don't dare let go of his hands. I'm not sure how easy it would be to establish the connection again.' _Still, she knew that she had to try and do her best so when he started backing up slowly, she followed as best as she could. Before long they were secure in the corner which gave them a clear shot to either the door or the window and once again she felt secure in their position. _'Let's just hope they don't decide to make their own entrance trying to get behind us.'_

Father Tres scowled when one of the panthers made an attempt to come through the window at the same time one began making a try for the doorway. The main entrance was quickly defended, but when he turned the gun to the window he found one flaw in the plan he'd devised on such short notice. Kagome's arms weren't nearly as long as his own were and when he'd shifted positions she was scrambling to move her hands along with his own. Plain and simple, this just wasn't going to work. "Kagome," he called, gaining her attention immediately.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you?" she asked, already trying to figure out a solution to the problem. There was no way in hell she could match him for arm length and this last time she'd very nearly lost contact with him. An idea came to mind suddenly and she wondered why she hadn't thought of it before. "Hold still for a minute," she said and ducked underneath his arm before he could ask her what she was doing, "you can shoot from closer to your body right? You know, like in those American western movies?"

Tres arched an eyebrow in her direction because he'd never heard of an American western movie, but his ability to hold a gun in various positions couldn't be questioned. Immediately he pulled his arm closer to his body which allowed her to relax slightly as well. Now all they needed was for one of the damned cats to give him a clear shot again and they'd be back in business.

The change in position nearly had Kagome breathing a sigh of relief since keeping her arms locked in one position was beginning to put a strain on them. Somehow though, she was sure that the panthers were analyzing just what their chances were now since they weren't bothering to challenge either entrance again.

"What are they waiting for, an engraved invitation?" she asked beneath her breath and sighed. Until Inuyasha and the others came, it appeared as though they were trapped since the demons weren't coming in, and there was no way in hell they were going out there.

"They are assessing their chance of success," Tres replied without much concern. He had no doubts that the others would arrive sooner or later and then they'd be able to attack from both sides, eliminating the threat that the panthers posed. It was just a matter of time.

"I guess that means we'll be waiting a while then," Kagome replied wearily and leaned back slightly. She felt him tense, but he didn't insist that she move away and considering the trouble he'd given her earlier, she felt justified as using him for a resting place. "I wonder how the others are doing?" she asked although she didn't really expect much of an answer. The man behind her certainly didn't know anything more than she did at this point.

"Given optimal conditions, their success rate is 97.65 percent. There is no cause for concern," he replied automatically, trying not to think too hard on the fact that she'd just mistaken him for a wall to rest upon. Instead, he concentrated on the mission at hand which was ensuring they got out of this predicament alive. Most likely the others were making short work of their opponents, it was just a matter of time and if Father Nightroad was aware of this splinter group that had come for them, he was quite probably on his way back to the village even now.

The comment caught Kagome off guard for a moment and she peered up at him curiously, "How do you do that? Calculating percentages and stuff so fast, I thought Midoriko turned you completely human." It had been something that she'd noticed before. While his mannerisms weren't quite so stiff now, he still didn't act completely human either, but she'd been passing it off believing that he just needed time to adapt.

"Midoriko was unable to complete her mission and parts of my processing capabilities remained unchanged. It could not be helped," he replied automatically. To be honest, he was rather relieved that a part of his formatting had been left largely untouched since it made him a more efficient fighter. The hard part would continue to be adapting to life as a human, or as close to human as he could get anyway.

Before Kagome could make any further comment, the sound of shouting reached her ears, "What's going on now?" Her voice held a hint of exasperation and dread. _'Oh God, I hope the demons haven't taken to hunting down the villagers now.' _ Most likely they'd taken cover long ago, but with some people there was just no way to be certain.

In fact, the source of the screaming was from some of the villagers, but not because the panthers had turned on them. The current reason for the screams was because they'd never seen a Crusnik on a rampage wielding a very large scythe which appeared to be made out of blood. The first demon never stood a chance and was cut down just as he turned to defend himself. All it had taken was running into an incoherent Shippo wailing that Kagome was trapped within the hut and the weapon Father Tres was using wasn't working against the demons.

The scent of gun powder tinged the air and Abel knew that regardless of whether it had worked or not, his partner wasn't going down without a fight. The fact that the felines were all circling the building also told him that the pair was still alive inside, although whether or not anyone had been injured wasn't known just yet. Footsteps could be heard behind him, signaling the arrival of both Sango and Miroku. Wasting no time he leapt into battle, fully intent on eliminating what threat remained.

Sliding to a stop, Sango stared at the sight playing out before her with wide eyes. It hadn't taken long for the remaining demons to surround the priest and they were now sizing him up as if trying to determine just what he was. Not that Father Nightroad seemed concerned; he was merely standing there and waiting for them to make the first move. It was an eerie sight to say the least with his eyes glowing a blood red and his hair standing on end. Moments later all hell appeared to break loose and they were forced to watch from the sidelines, as Father Nightroad took on the four demons alone.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Miroku asked his voice laced with concern. Even though he'd been at the last fight, he still wasn't sure how the priest had managed to defeat the demons which had captured them with such little trouble.

Suddenly Father Nightroad disappeared from view, moving far too fast for them to follow. Even Lord Sesshoumaru hadn't managed to attain such speeds, at least not to her knowledge.

"Stay back, Miroku," she warned, just as the Crusnik reappeared and sliced through two of the remaining three demons. Now only one remained and Sango knew what it was planning the moment it started to move. "Don't let it get in the building," she yelled, calling out a warning to the vampire. If the panther managed to get inside there was a chance he could use their friends against them.

However, the moment the demon appeared in the doorway Father Tres took aim and fired. With the panther so distracted by his partner, it wasn't concentrating on the danger that lurked within and that mistake was ultimately its downfall. The body slammed to the floor and then quickly turned to ash.

"Target eliminated," he said and allowed Kagome to disengage her hands from his own before holstering his weapon.

Now that the danger was over, Kagome wasted no time in rushing outside, but seeing Father Nightroad in his true form made her pause. The look of wariness on his face made her raise an eyebrow in surprise. It was almost as if he expected her to scream in fear and loathing.

"That's a new look for you, Father Nightroad. I like it," she said with a reassuring smile. It was obvious he was self conscious about his appearance at the very least and she wasn't about to add to that. Freaky hair aside, he wasn't all that intimidating in appearance and she could see that it was her friend underneath the changed appearance.

Before the priest could answer however, Inuyasha arrived on the scene looking a bit ragged and worse for wear.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay?" Kagome asked anxiously, her eyes scanning his beleaguered form. Frost coated his body and tiny ice crystals lingered in his hair, but what was worse was the ghostly blue tinge his skin had taken on.

"Keh, I'm fine. A little snow ain't gonna kill me,"Inuyasha replied testily, although he was secretly pleased that she still seemed to be concerned over his well being. _'But at the same time I'm glad she isn't going into overprotective mode of hers. ' _So what if it had been more like a blizzard, she didn't need to know that. Curiously, he stared at Father Nightroad and arched a brow at his appearance, "Are you sure you ain't a demon? And why the hell did you leave them alive?"

Disgust colored his voice as he looked at the mangled panther demons weakly trying to pull themselves up off the ground even though they were missing some rather important body parts. Given the amount of damage to their bodies though, they weren't likely to live long.

"Quite sure, and in answer to your question, I've taken a vow not to kill," Father Nightroad replied just as testily and allowed his appearance to shift back to normal. It was a relief that his more powerful form wasn't being met with fear, it would have made traveling with the group infinitely more difficult if they had. However, the only one whose opinion truly mattered was Kagome's, because if they were to split off on their own, she'd have to be able to accept it in order for them to continue working well together.

"A vow not to kill? That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. What are you planning to do against Naraku then, scold him and tell him not to do it again?" Inuyasha scoffed, regarding the taller male with irritation. _'Why'd he even bother coming here if he can't even finish a fight? If these fools manage to survive they'll come back seeking revenge.'_

"I kill only when necessary and this time, it was not. When the battle with Naraku comes, only then will I forego that promise to myself," Father Nightroad replied with an eerie calm. Sometimes killing was unavoidable, but he didn't consider this one of those times. He'd spared the panther demon's lives, it was up to God now whether they survived the wounds or not. The incredulous stares that the others were giving him went ignored in favor of looking at the condition of his gloves. The claws he'd sported had torn through them yet again and now the material was in desperate need of repairs, something he wasn't exactly good at, "I don't suppose any of you know how to sew do you?"

Pursing her lips, Kagome walked up to him and grasped one of his hands gently, examining the gloves carefully. The material looked to be of a decent quality so it would be fairly easy to repair. "I can take care of this tonight if you want. I'm sure that we can find some needle and thread around here somewhere. Assuming that they don't toss us out because of the damage," she said, knowing that it was a real possibility.

"I'll go speak to the headmaster of the village," Miroku replied. In truth, he was probably the best suited to doing such a thing, Inuyasha's skills at negotiations weren't exactly up to par and neither were Kagome's for that matter. Even though their reputation was quite well known, some humans were reluctant about allowing half demons among their boundaries much less full demons. Surely by now word had spread too about Father Nightroad not being normal and he didn't exactly want to have to explain just what the man was when he didn't understand it completely himself. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Kirara returning with Shippo on her back and he knew that it would only be a matter of minutes before the villagers swarmed them with demands for an explanation.

"Yeah, you go ahead and do that," Inuyasha remarked and then turned to survey how much damage had been done to the hut they'd been given to sleep in. From what he could tell there wasn't any serious damage, but something else caught his eye.

"Hey, Kagome, what the hell happened here?" he asked, kicking at a rather large pile of ash, allowing the breeze to pick up part of it and carry it away, "Did you pick up some added tricks in the future, or did you pick up a bow after you got here?"

"Not exactly," Kagome said with a shrug, "I channeled my energy through his guns and it worked to purify the demons. I'm kinda surprised though, I wasn't sure if it would work or not." Now that they knew it was possible it might come in handy, although it was a very impractical way to fight.

The casual comment had the hanyou raising a brow in surprise, "How'd you manage to do that?"

For the longest time the miko hadn't been able to channel her energy into the arrows much less anything else, so it was a bit of a surprise to learn she'd picked up a new ability.

"I dunno, I just did," she commented, trying to figure out how she would explain the process of separating energy from her soul. "I just focused and it came to me. I think it was because we really didn't have much of a choice. It was either it worked or the demons were going to make it inside."

"Wait a minute! I thought he was supposed to be able to handle anything that posed a threat to you?" Inuyasha said, leaping onto what the miko hadn't come out and said directly. God knew he'd heard it enough over the past couple of weeks whenever he questioned the priest's abilities.

"It was hard for him to get a clear shot with such a small target. Father Tres hit them plenty of times, but he couldn't get a solid hit in," Kagome countered, jumping to the man's defense, "Besides, weren't you supposed to be the one keeping them from coming to the village?" To this she arched an eye brow and waited rather impatiently for a response.

"Keh, I took on the leader. These three were supposed to take care of the rest, so don't ask me how they got away from them," Inuyasha groused, crossing his arms defensively. He did_ not _want to be the one considered responsible for letting most of the tribe get back to the village when he was the one that had been forced to freeze his ass off in subzero temperatures.

"I guess it doesn't matter," Kagome said, rubbing the bridge of her nose to ward off the headache that was well on its way to forming, "The panther tribe won't be bothering this area anymore, and that's what counts. Did you find out if they were working with Naraku or not?"

"Isamu wasn't exactly forthcoming with information, but with the beating he took, if he did know anything I'd say he was under coercion not to talk. But, I don't think they were working for Naraku. Most likely they'd picked this spot for an easy meal, we just got in the way of their plans," Inuyasha replied with irritation. All that work had been for nothing really if one discounted the safety of the villagers and he wasn't out to save the world, just the people who were directly affected by Naraku.

"So we're no closer than we were before," Sango said quietly and gazed about their surroundings. It looked like whatever Miroku was doing was working since the villagers were coming out again and some were even tending to the bodies of the demons which were strewn about. Most likely they wouldn't be given a proper burial, but that wasn't her concern.

"Don't worry, he won't be able to hide forever," Father Nightroad said, laying his hand on Kagome's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. A sidelong glance over at Father Tres had his brow furrowing however. The man was diligently checking over his weapons and looking none too happy with what he was finding. "Is there something wrong, Tres?" he asked, gaining the man's attention.

"Conclusion has yet to be determined, what is your ammunition status, Father Nightroad?" Father Tres asked and holstered his own weapons. It was troublesome that he'd expended so much ammunition in the fight, but it couldn't have been helped. The problem was he only had four more full clips on him and once those were gone the weapons would be useless.

"I haven't really had the chance to use any yet," Father Nightroad replied, instantly seeing the problem, "How bad is it?" If Tres was almost out of ammo then they were going to have to stop and figure out a way to work around the issue.

"There is a high probability that the supply will be exhausted before we reach Naraku. An alternate ammunition source must be found before then," Father Tres replied. While hand to hand combat training had been programmed into his CPU before, he did not want to be forced to rely upon it, especially when he still wasn't fully accustomed to the new body.

"If your weapons can't work then what are you good for?" Inuyasha asked, unable to believe what he was hearing. This in fact was precisely why he disliked guns so much. Without the bullets, then they were pretty much useless. _'Keh, this is why people should stick to swords.'_

"Inuyasha, don't start," Kagome snapped in irritation. The last thing they needed was another argument within the group. "It wasn't our fault that the supplies didn't come through with us so we'll just have to figure something else out." Just what that was going to be on the other hand, she wasn't exactly sure yet, but she was positive a solution would be found.

"Like what? Do you see a merchant around here that carries that sort of thing?" Inuyasha retorted and then looked to Father Tres, "Is that the only weapon you can use or do I dare hope you've been trained in something useful like with a sword?" Somehow he wasn't counting on it, but he could hope, couldn't he?

"That's it!" Kagome exclaimed and a smug expression crossed her face. The thought she'd just had would solve this problem and a few others, like another change of clothes for instance. _'Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I wish these fit better. I guess I should be happy they went shopping for me at all though.'_

Shippo blinked up at her from his perch on Kirara's back, "What's it, Kagome?" Normally when the girl had an idea it was well worth heeding because Inuyasha was as useless as those guns he was claiming to dislike in instances like this.

"Of course there aren't any gun shops around _here_, and back where I came from they're rare, but not impossible to find," Kagome said with a grin, which had them all wondering just what she had in mind. Of course whether or not they actually had something comparable to what Father Tres had she wasn't sure, but it was the best chance they had.

"Are you saying we should backtrack all that way just to go to your village and get the stuff we need?" Inuyasha said, his tone turning to one of contemplation. On one hand it was a reasonable idea, but could they really take the time?

Kagome nodded, "That's exactly what I'm saying, Inuyasha. We've got the problem of an inadequate ammo supply, not to mention we lost all the clothes that we'd brought." When the hanyou didn't appear to be entirely convinced she went for the killing blow, "And we don't have any of the food that you like. If you were to take Tres to my time, you both could get the things we need and then come back."

"Need I remind you that me and you are the only ones that can go through the portal? I'd be able to go, but he'd have to stay behind and I'm not sure what kind of bullets he needs," Inuyasha stated, mildly irritated that she'd send him to retrieve stuff like an errand boy. The food sounded like a good idea, but anything more than that would be difficult. He wouldn't know the first thing about what types of guns the priest used.

"Actually," Father Nightroad said, putting up a hand to forestall the argument about to erupt, "it's the subjugation necklace that allows you to pass through because it creates a bond between you and Kagome. Father Tres has a similar connection; therefore, the portal will allow him to pass." All in all he was getting rather tired of the confrontational attitude that was being thrown about without care.

"Bond?" Inuyasha said suspiciously and looked over Father Tres closely, "what bond do you have with Kagome?" To his knowledge he hadn't been fitted with a rosary and if he had, the miko damned sure wasn't using it on him which just wasn't fair.

"Midoriko formed a bond between Kagome and us in order to complete the connection needed for us to travel through the portal," Father Tres stated calmly, seeing no reason to lie to the hanyou. He was rather surprised to see how disgruntled the man was over that particular bit of information, but Inuyasha's acceptance was not a priority.

"Like hell. If I gotta be stuck with these stupid beads then you should too. They should have rosaries too, Kagome," Inuyasha said, pointing at the two of them in order to emphasize his point. _'If I have to suffer the indignation of a collar then they should too dammit!'_

"Now why would I do that, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, trying not to smirk, "After all, neither one of them has tried to take my head off. I can't say the same for you." With that she turned and walked back into the hut, ignoring the curses that were spewing from the hanyou's mouth. _'Okay, that was a low blow I admit, but he just walked right into it.'_

Weakly, Father Nightroad laughed, "She is rather outspoken, isn't she?" Personally, it really wouldn't have mattered to him if they had been forced to wear a rosary, because he was willing to lay money on the fact that they wouldn't have given her cause to use them. However, it didn't matter since it wasn't needed to begin with.

"Well, that's Kagome for you," Sango replied with a shrug and turned to Inuyasha, "Does this mean we're returning to the village tomorrow?" It was a shame that they were going to be losing so much progress, but she really didn't see any way around it. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time they'd had to do this for some reason or another.

"No," Inuyasha said and shook his head, "It'd take too long to get there and back with everyone following. I've got something else in mind if you'll let us borrow Kirara." There was no reason to drag everyone back if he didn't have to and without so many added people, they could move a lot faster.

"Ah, I see. You'll have Father Tres ride Kirara and make it there and back in half the time," Sango said, easily realizing just what it was the hanyou had in mind. In her mind the idea was far preferable because she really had no desire to take time out of the search, even if it meant she could see Kohaku for a day or so.

"Less time than that. I figure if we don't stop and we head straight back instead of detouring like we had been, we can make it there and back in just under two days," Inuyasha said with a glance over to the priest. It'd be a hard push, but so long as the man managed to hang on, he didn't see why they couldn't do it.

"The plan is acceptable," Father Tres replied immediately and then turned to his partner, "You will remain behind, and carry out the mission priority. With the energy surge of the recent battle, it is unlikely that any threat will manifest itself in the time we are absent." And even if it did, he had no doubts his partner could take care of it.

"Of course, the village should be safe enough until the two of you return," Father Nightroad conceded. The idea of a two days rest sounded good to him anyway and when Inuyasha wasn't around to provoke the girl's temper, she was rather pleasant to be around.

"Fine, we'll leave in the morning. In the meantime, let's get some rest, you're going to need it in order to keep up," Inuyasha said and then walked into the hut that Kagome had disappeared into. Hopefully she was in a better mood then she had been or it was likely that he'd be sleeping on the roof yet again, just to stay out of her way.

Even though he was ready for a rest too, Father Tres remained outside for a few more moments because Miroku was approaching. Once the monk was within conversing distance, he pulled him aside, "You are familiar with the method in which Kagome's holy energy works?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Miroku replied, giving the taller male a considering look, "Why do you ask?" In fact, he had an idea seeing that he'd witnessed just how the final demon had been purified, but he wanted to be certain before he jumped to any conclusions.

"The miko demonstrated the ability to channel her energy through my weapon. However, it is not an efficient method of execution and hinders our optimum range of movement. Is there a way to rectify the problem in which physical contact would no longer be required?" Father Tres asked, not bothering to mince words. The miko's ability to channel energy could be a great asset, but only if the physical limitations could be worked out.

"Ah, I thought as much," Miroku mused and pondered the question, "It's no secret that Lady Kagome can channel her energy into objects, but I've never known her to attempt such a thing through a person before. By all rights, the energy that you possess should have absorbed hers. It's the same process in which demons are destroyed, but since you possess no youki, there would be no conflict between them and thus you would not suffer any damage." It was a simplified explanation; however, he saw no need to go into greater detail.

"But that is not what occurred," Father Tres replied, immediately grasping the concept. What the monk had put forth was plausible; however, there was more to it than that.

Miroku nodded in response to the statement, "True enough and frankly I've never heard of such a thing before. Perhaps it has something to do with the bond that formed." In fact, everything that existed between Kagome and the other two males was because of that bond and he was left to wonder if Father Nightroad's sudden transformation was driven by the need he felt through it. If they'd truly been in danger, most likely the priest would have felt her fear and reacted accordingly.

"The original question still remains. Is there any way to work around the physical limitations?" Father Tres asked again, becoming slightly impatient with the lack of answers. Yet he knew that this man was the only one likely to be able to solve the problem for him.

"Perhaps," Miroku conceded, although he was uncomfortable with even providing that much of an answer, "Unfortunately, we don't know if it was the bond that allowed her to do that. I guess the answer would be for her to attempt the same thing through another person and see if it works." Of course he had no illusions of the redhead handing over his weapon, not that he would want him to anyway. If he were correct, then something as simple as a dagger would suffice. Unless he was mistaken, the only two people that the energy would channel through would be the two priests. They dared not risk taking the chance with Inuyasha or Shippo due to their demonic energy.

Throughout the conversation Sango had remained silent; listening to the two men speak. It had become quite apparent that the priest had more issues then just the possibility of running out of ammunition. If this little experiment didn't work, just where would that leave him as far as fighting went? What sort of protector could he be to Kagome if he couldn't even defend himself then from their enemies? "She can test it out on me," Sango said quietly, gaining the two men's attention, "You wouldn't make a good choice, Miroku, because there is a chance that your own energy would influence the results. We wouldn't be able to tell whether or not the energy came from you or her."

"Good point, Miss Sango," Father Nightroad chimed in. He'd been wondering about the very same thing, but hadn't wanted to disturb the conversation when there was a good chance either Miroku or Father Tres would have brought it up on their own. "I'll volunteer myself as well. Since I share the bond with her too, it stands to reason that if it works for both Father Tres and me that it is indeed what allowed her to do such a thing. If not, then there's a chance there's something else at work and we need to look to alternate reasons she succeeded.

"Then perhaps we should go and speak to Lady Kagome about this. I'm sure that she's tired, but this shouldn't take too much more of her energy," Miroku stated calmly, "Shall we?" Without waiting for an answer he made his way inside the hut and then paused, startled that neither Inuyasha nor Kagome were attempting to fight with one another. _'Hm... Either they're too tired or they've finally gotten over this little power struggle they've been having. Either way, it's a nice change from the arguing.'_

"Oh hey, Miroku," Kagome said in greeting although she raised a brow at the slightly surprised expression on his face, "Is everything okay?" A vague worry began in the pit of her stomach and she hoped that the villagers hadn't changed their mind about allowing them to remain for the night. She'd just gotten finished arranging her futon to her liking and was looking forward to a long, relaxing nap.

Cheerfully, the monk waved a hand to reassure the girl that there was nothing wrong. "Oh, every things fine, just fine, we were just discussing your new ability and I was wondering if you'd care to demonstrate it again, now that we're all here," he said while moving out of the doorway so that the others could enter the hut.

"Again?" Kagome asked and leaned back against the wall, confused as to why he'd want to see it now, "I'm rather tired and I don't think there's anything more to shoot at, unless you know something that I don't." In which case he'd be far more upset than what he was, which was not at all really. In that case, a demonstration could wait as far as she was concerned.

"Oh no, we weren't expecting the two of you to shoot anything, Kagome. Rather, we'd like to see if you can channel your energy through anyone else or if it's just Tres," Father Nightroad said cheerfully and moved to take a seat next to her. He gave a lopsided grin to the hanyou who was looking at them as if they'd lost their minds. Most likely it was out of concern for the girl over how much energy she'd already expended, but there was nothing to be done about that. _'He'll just have to understand that doing this could benefit the entire team.'_

"I see," she said slowly. "Well it can't hurt to try I suppose. Who's playing the guinea pig this time?" she asked, looking curiously at the other occupants of the room. Father Tres looked as impassive as ever, but that really wasn't a surprise. Everyone else though seemed to be intrigued and curious by the idea, making her wonder just what they'd talked about after she had left.

"I'll do it. I'd like you to try it with me first since we're almost like sisters." Sango replied immediately with a slight smile and moved to sit in front of the miko. "So what do we do now?"

"Um, well I laid my hands on his like this," the miko said, and then grasped the Slayer's hands in her own. "Just relax. You really don't need to do anything, just let the energy flow through your hands."

Instead of replying, Sango did as she'd been told and allowed herself to relax completely. She really wasn't sure what to expect so she watched the other girl closely, waiting for the signs that would make it obvious as to whether or not it was working. A light pink glow made her look down at her own hands and she could see the energy that was radiating off of the miko and the way it disappeared into her own skin.

"Strange, I don't feel anything at all," she murmured to herself. There wasn't any sign of her own hands glowing either that would signal she could tap into the energy that her friend was pouring into her.

"Interesting, so it won't work for Sango," Miroku said, trying to hide the disappointment he was feeling as he turned to the next man in the room. "Father Nightroad, would you like to try?" Miroku asked quietly which gave Kagome the go ahead to release her hold. Now more than ever he was certain that the bond had something to do with it, but until he saw the results with the other priest he wouldn't voice his opinion.

"Of course," Father Nightroad replied immediately and removed his gloves before setting them off to the side where the miko could see about repairing them later on. Warm hands settled over his and she squeezed gently in reassurance, surprising him slightly. Physical contact wasn't exactly something he was accustomed to and his intuition told him that she was aware of that fact. Despite his friendly and outgoing nature, he tried to keep some form of distance between himself and others and she seemed to be bridging that gap quite easily.

Before he could ponder that line of thinking any further or ponder the implications, an exhilarating rush of power swept into him quickly followed by the comforting presence of the girl holding his hand. "Amazing," he breathed out and stared down at his hand, reveling in the sensation sweeping through him. Quickly his eyes met hers and he was swept up by the emotions he saw there. But it couldn't last forever and at last he was forced to look away, lest he be drawn in further.

"What the hell are you blushing for?" Inuyasha asked, his ears twitching with annoyance. While he wasn't sure what the hell this little experiment was all about, he didn't like the look on the Crusnik's face. The last time he saw a similar expression had been when that hobo idiot had asked Kagome to accompany him on a date and she'd accepted. While he had given up any possible romantic interest in the girl, he wanted to see her settle down with someone normal, yet strong enough to protect her. He didn't consider a cannibal vampire to fall within the category of normal.

"Pardon me," Father Nightroad said and looked to Kagome apologetically, "That... wasn't quite what I was expecting and it caught me off guard. I think it worked though which confirms the theory." Uncomfortably he shifted beneath their stares and cursed the fact that he hadn't been prepared for the sensation of being touched by her energy. The look he saw in her eyes confirmed that she'd felt it too, but that thought made him uneasy. He couldn't afford to allow something like that to happen again, not if he could help it.

"Indeed it has," Miroku said, not bothering to comment on the moment that seemed to pass between the miko and the priest. That Inuyasha had commented on it confirmed that it wasn't something he had imagined. There wasn't time to contemplate such things when there were other issues to worry about. "This brings us back to the original question of can Kagome channel her powers through your weapons without physical contact. I believe that given what we've just witnessed it can be; however, it doesn't appear to be that the bond is strong enough to do so at the present time," he said, his brow furrowed in thought. _'Could the bond be strengthened to that point though and, if so, would these three even consider doing such a thing?'_

"You mean there's a chance they can tap into my energy at any time?" Kagome asked, allowing her hands to fall back to her lap. She'd been unsettled by the rush of emotions she felt coming off of Father Nightroad and she wasn't sure what to think of them. First and foremost was an intense grief that one would never suspect by just looking at him, but it had been followed by a feeling of both peace and protectiveness moments later. At least until he'd broken physical contact anyway. _'I guess actually touching them makes it easier to feel emotions through the bond. I wonder what he's so sad about?'_

"Perhaps, but to do so the bond between you would need to be strengthened," Miroku replied hesitantly. There were a few ways to do such a thing, but most of them weren't feasible in this instance. However, there was one option that would accomplish such a thing; they'd just need to spend a great deal of their time in close physical proximity. "If the three of you had the option to do so, would you take it?"

"What exactly would be involved?" Father Nightroad asked hesitantly after a moment. The monk's words hadn't been lost on him. This would include all three of them, not just Tres and Kagome like he'd initially suspected and before he agreed to anything more, he wanted to know what the consequences would be.

"To be honest, I haven't performed something like this before so I cannot give you a complete description. The bonding process itself is simple really given the fact that there's already one established. But if your question is to how things will change between you, I imagine it will be a matter of strengthening what is already there," Miroku replied, his mind racing to see if there was anything more that he could give them. A strengthening of emotional ties would be certain, but that in and of itself wasn't necessarily a bad thing with how often Kagome tended to get into trouble.

Father Nightroad frowned and contemplated saying no. He couldn't afford to allow anyone to get that close again and he'd spent years holding everyone at arm's length. Yet these people were going to be the closest thing he could call friends for the next undetermined amount of years. _'Is this any different then what I've already vowed to God? I've sworn to do everything in my power to protect humans and if this is enough to keep that promise, would it be wrong of me to ignore the opportunity?' _This was no longer about just protecting the miko anymore, but his long time partner as well. Being human made Tres vulnerable in ways that he'd never been before. "What must we do to begin the process then, assuming that Kagome and Tres are willing as well."

Silence descended the room and Miroku looked to both Kagome and Father Tres, receiving a faint nod from the miko. The priest; however, remained as impassive as ever, but since he hadn't objected Miroku believed he was in agreement as well. Wordlessly, he pulled out a blank sutra and laid it out on the floor before him, "A sutra must be made which represents the bond between the three of you. Each must make your mark on it and then it must be burnt as an offering."

"Sounds easy enough," Kagome responded and looked towards the two priests, "We came into this having to make a choice in order to get here. If going a step further means we increase our chances of defeating Naraku, I'm willing to take it."

"Go ahead and make the sutra then if you please," Father Nightroad said, seeing no reason to prolong the decision any further. Through the bond he could feel the faint echoes of acceptance of the situation and he knew he'd made the right choice. When the monk removed a quill and began drawing the proper symbols he watched closely, taking in every detail. And finally, when the sutra and quill were passed over to him, without hesitation he printed his name neatly in the circle in which Miroku had indicated.

The sutra was passed to Father Tres next and he wasted no time in adding his signature to the paper. For a moment he'd wondered if Abel was going to say no and in truth, he wouldn't have held it against the man if he had. Enough had been sacrificed already to the cause and to be asked to give up more might cause a lesser man to balk, but they each had something to lose by not giving everything they had. Echoing through his mind was Lady Caterina's final words to him, telling him to do everything in his power to protect the girl he'd accompanied. Yet it hadn't ended there and the Cardinal's actions had left him uncertain when she'd touched his cheek briefly and asked him to give Kagome the devotion that he had shown to her over the years. It had been in that moment that he'd realized she wasn't expecting any of them to come back.

The wave of sadness that washed over Kagome had her looking at Father Tres, concern etching her features. "Are you okay?" she asked, gently laying her hand on his arm. _'Is he regretting doing this? I can't ask them to do something they don't want to do.' _

"Positive," Father Tres replied, but paused when he saw the uncertainty on her face. Clearly she wasn't buying the answer and needed a further explanation, "It was a memory, nothing more. Please, finish the sutra so we can proceed as necessary." The concern she showed for him was foreign coming from someone other than the Duchess, yet he would accept it without question and try to do as Caterina had asked of him.

When Kagome continued to hesitate, Inuyasha decided to step in, "If you're going to do it then do it. Quit being so damned indecisive." He was uncertain about the whole thing to begin with, but he couldn't come up with a decent reason to stop them. On the surface, he could see the advantages and since there was a bond between the three of them anyway he didn't see where it could hurt anything. Still, even Miroku didn't know what the full effect of strengthening it would be so he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the whole thing.

"Don't rush me," Kagome replied absently and took the sutra from Father Tres. Instead of listening to the hanyou she'd been concentrating on the bond and trying to figure out just what the priest had been thinking._ 'He didn't seem to be lying; I guess I should just trust him. If something were wrong, he'd tell me.' _ Carefully she penned her name onto the last circle and then passed the paper back to Miroku.

Carefully, he set the sutra to the side and then moved the oil burner from the corner of the room to the center where everyone was located. Only once the small flame was glowing steady did he pick up the ofuda and touch the corner of it to the fire. As the smoke wafted up, he watched the two men move closer to the miko, leaving him to wonder if it had been a conscious move on their parts. _'Perhaps, it would stand to reason that a desire for physical contact would be one of the side effects. Until the bond completes, it would be best not to separate them unless it's absolutely necessary.'_

"So is it done?" Kagome asked after the last of the paper disappeared. So far she didn't feel any different which came as a slight surprise. While she hadn't been sure of what to expect, this wasn't exactly it.

A slight nod accompanied Miroku's answer, "I told you it was a rather simple process. As to what happens now, I advise going with whatever feels natural to the three of you. Fighting the connection at this point would be counterproductive and most likely futile." That was a bit of an understatement, but he wasn't going to put too much stress on it since doing so was likely to make them attempt just that and could lead to problems. Even now he could see the thin thread that connected the three and it had darkened from the pale pink that it had been previously to a vibrant red.

"Well then, what do we do now or can I dare hope for some time to rest?" Kagome looked at Inuyasha hopefully. Since they were in a village there would be no need to hunt, much less set up a camp. All that was left now was to get comfortable and unless she was mistaken, they were staying the night. Of course it was always a good idea to ask since the hanyou was known to change his mind on a moment's notice.

"I don't care; we're going to be here for a couple of days anyway. Finding Naraku is important, but I refuse to have to play babysitter to those two," he said, indicating whom he meant with a jerk of his head, "when their guns become useless. Tomorrow I'm taking Tres back to your time so we can get the shit you guys need."

"Don't be so rude, Inuyasha," Kagome replied with a roll of her eyes, "but since you're going you might as well pick up a few things. Another backpack and change of clothes would be nice." Lazily she stood up and stretched before making her way over to the futon and stretching out on it.

"Don't think I'm going clothes shopping for you, Kagome. I wouldn't be going back at all if I didn't have to and more stuff will just slow us down even more," Inuyasha replied with a shrug of his shoulders. No one had a change of clothing really and they washed what they had when the need arose. Carrying around that heavy pack had been the cause of many a backache in previous times and now they didn't have that metal contraption that Kagome used to ride around on.

"Oh how quickly we forget, Inuyasha. Need I remind you that the backpack was what kept you fed a lot of the time? If we have that then you can fill it with ramen and potato chips for all I care as long as you bring me a complete change of clothes," she said, pausing only to yawn behind her hand. If the truth were to be told she was still rather uncomfortable running around without a bra on and if Inuyasha was going back then he could be considerate and bring her what she needed.

"That's right, Kagome. Make me sound like I'm addicted to the stuff why don't you?" he groused sullenly, but made no attempt to deny her words. Having a supply of the food from her time could in fact be helpful so he'd give the idea some consideration. He wasn't going to go overboard though; otherwise he'd be the one carrying the bag.

Without waiting to hear his retort she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift towards sleep. The slight whisper of movement had her opening her eyes just enough to identify the one settling in next to her and to her surprise it was Father Tres. _'Strange, I thought he'd relax even in the village, but I guess not.'_

Even though silence had descended when he'd initially moved, eventually the others resumed talking quietly amongst themselves. Not surprisingly, the topic was that of the bond, but Tres had already heard everything he wanted or needed to know. Now he was contemplating just what it was he'd felt earlier, just before the fight. It was in his very nature to analyze things, but they hadn't had the time earlier. Protectiveness for certain; however, that was to be expected. No, he was more concerned with the reaction he'd gotten when he'd pinned her to the floor.

_'Damn human emotions.' _Even now, he was no closer to understanding the damned things whether he was thinking of them in himself or in others. Even if he discounted his body's strange physical reaction, there was her own to consider. Carefully he reached out to touch her face, but hesitated just before his fingers reached their destination. During that time, she'd been so flushed, a reaction that he'd only seen occur when someone was sick, but clearly that hadn't been the case then. So what was it?

"Tres?" Father Nightroad queried, his voice kept low in order to keep from waking the girl. The gentle rise and fall of her chest told him that she was indeed asleep; however, he knew that it wouldn't take much to change that. More curious was the fact that his friend's fingers were a mere fraction of an inch away from her face and he seemed to be undecided about whether to touch her or not. _'Tres, what's going on in your head? Is it because of the bond or is it something else entirely?'_

"Father Nightroad?" Tres replied, instantly yanking his hand away from the girl. The urge to touch her was strong; however, he wasn't going to carry through with that desire. Questions still lingered in his mind and he had a feeling that Abel could answer them for him, but did he really want to discuss it with him? Better yet, was this something to be discussed where the others might possibly overhear?

An inkling of what could be bothering his friend was coming to mind although Father Nightroad saw no reason to bring it up in front of the others. Instead, he chose a generic question since Tres was no longer looking at her as if he were seeing her for the very first time, "Is everything alright?" Most likely the poor man was confused and rightfully so, but if he needed help in understanding what it was he felt, he'd come to him for answers sooner or later.

"Positive," Father Tres said, brushing the question off and then leaned against the wall, signaling the end of the discussion. Sooner or later he would figure it out on his own and if he couldn't, only then would he look to Father Nightroad for assistance.


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

_**Chapter Nine**_

Morning had come far too early for his liking, but Father Tres had borne it without much complaint. What had struck him as strange was the reluctance he'd felt to leave as they'd planned and it was only at Father Nightroad's insistence that he'd given in and mounted Kirara. Yet, that had only come after he'd made sure that the Crusnik understood he was to guard the miko with his life. Still, it unnerved him to have left her alone and even though he knew that Abel was a good fighter, he also knew that he was not the best. He'd learned that when they'd gone head to head previously and the other priest had been forced to use dirty tactics in order to gain the upper hand.

Even now it was tempting to tell the hanyou that he was going back, but two things stopped him from doing so. The first was that they were well beyond the halfway mark and it would be pointless to do so. The second was that the mission was absolutely necessary since once his ammunition was gone, he would be unable to protect himself much less the miko.

_'The rest of the supplies are unnecessary, but a new weapon cannot be overlooked.' _The guns he had now would be useless soon since they had been manufactured several centuries from now, unless by some miracle he could find ammunition that would work with them. While the basic concept was the same, the bullets had to be exact in order for the firearm to work correctly. No, there was absolutely no way for him to cancel this trip. He'd just have to trust in Father Nightroad to protect her as he'd vowed to do.

"Oi, are you still brooding about leaving?" Inuyasha called up to the man mounted on the fire cat just before he leapt onto another tree branch to keep abreast of Kirara. The priest had been scowling the entire time and when Inuyasha had thought to be nice and offer the man a chance to dismount and stretch his legs, the disgruntled refusal had come as a bit of a surprise.

The bland look that he was receiving now had Inuyasha snorting in amusement, "Damn and I thought I had it bad at one time." He'd been wondering if there was more to the priest's protectiveness than just doing his job and this just seemed to make it even clearer to him. _'I wonder if Kagome's noticed it yet or not.' _Then again, that girl noticing something that obvious was unlikely since she tended to be blind to the attention she received. _'Either that, or she ignores it completely like when that wimpy wolf shows his ugly face.'_

"Just what are you speaking of?" Father Tres demanded, breaking into the hanyou's thoughts. Now that his curiosity was aroused, he wanted answers and he wasn't going to let the man turn his thoughts inward, leaving his questions unanswered. Clearly, the hanyou thought he'd figured something out and he wasn't averse to probing the man for information. As if sensing his desire to talk, Kirara descended at an altitude until they were at a distance where conversing wouldn't be too problematic; if one discounted the mad dashes punctuated by wild leaps that Inuyasha was performing.

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Inuyasha asked with a chuckle and shook his head, "You're more oblivious than that stinking wolf. It seems as if you can't tell that you like her." Thoughts of Kouga caused his more sadistic side to laugh in glee. _'Oh I can't wait to see what his reaction is when that bastard pulls the 'my woman' bullshit.'_ Kouga was going to be lucky if he didn't walk away with more than a few bullet holes marring his mangy hide.

"Explain. By her, I deduce that you mean the miko, but what is your objective in this conversation? Define 'like'," the priest said, determined to find out just what the hanyou was blathering on about now. He got along well enough with the miko, that much was obvious to everyone, but something told him that wasn't quite what Inuyasha meant. _'And who exactly is Kouga to her that Inuyasha would purposefully mention him specifically?'_ Granted, he'd heard the name before as being one of Kagome's old friends, but the way the hanyou mentioned him made him look at the other male skeptically.

Inuyasha scrunched his nose up trying to decide whether or not Tres was being serious with his question. "How can you not know what liking someone is?" The confused look he was receiving now only made him sigh when he realized that Father Nightroad had been right. This guy had been made without emotions for the most part and it was up to him to explain it as best as he could.

"Why do I always get stuck with the strange shit? Oh all right, okay let me ask you a question. You know what liking someone as a friend is right?" Inuyasha asked, trying to find a decent starting point to work with. He'd never been good with his own emotions so how in the hell was he supposed to help someone else figure out theirs? _'Better yet, do I even want to help him?' _The question was set aside for later since he needed to concentrate on the conversation at hand.

"As in a compatible working relationship, yes," the priest replied easily. At the Vatican he had acquired many such 'friends' over the years in the form of his team mates. They worked well together and did what was necessary, anyone else was either an enemy or an acquaintance that he had little to do with.

Inuyasha could see that the man was at least considering the question and not answering automatically with some shit that had been preprogrammed so he nodded, "Okay then, would you consider, say... Miroku a friend?" The monk was as good of a starting place as any since, with the exception of Kagome and Abel, he was the one Tres spent the most time around.

"Positive, he has been of some assistance since we arrived and has not posed a threat to our mission," Tres said after taking a moment to consider the question. The monk seemed to be closer to Kagome and Father Nightroad than he was, but then people had always tended to keep their distance from him anyway. However, that hadn't mattered previously and that wasn't about to change anytime soon.

"That wasn't quite what I meant, but screw it. Whatever works," Inuyasha said and ignored the irritated look cast his way in favor of leaping over a fallen log, "Now think about your partner, do you think of him as the same type of friend that Miroku is or is he different?" He already knew the answer based on the way they acted around each other, but forcing the other man to think about it would allow him to realize it as well.

Immediately, Father Tres shook his head, "Father Nightroad is different, our working relationship has extended far beyond..."

Inuyasha cut him off before he could finish the sentence, "I'm not asking about time frames here. I'm asking do you think about him in a different light than you do Miroku." Now he was beginning to feel like he was leading the man on a leash, because the redhead certainly wasn't traveling down that path of his own accord.

"Positive," Tres replied hesitantly although he was beginning to get an idea of where the hanyou was going with his questioning. He'd never really considered analyzing the different working relationships he'd had with his team mates, they just existed to the extent that he needed to interact with them and he didn't seek to further understand them beyond those parameters.

"Alright so now you know the difference between a friend and a good friend. You'd trust the blood sucker with more than you would the monk I'm betting," Inuyasha said, chuckling to himself. In a way, he was finding the situation too damned funny even if he was stuck with pointing out the obvious to the redhead. "If you think about it, you didn't ask Miroku or Sango to look after her, but you damned sure made Abel swear to take care of her. If he hadn't, I'd doubt you'd be here with me right now. Am I right?" Hell, at that point Inuyasha was willing to bet that he wouldn't have been able to drag the taller man out of the hut.

"Positive, Father Nightroad would have been able to acquire the supplies as well. However, he had no wish to be here," Tres said rather sourly, remembering that particular conversation. He hadn't wanted to be the one stuck on this trip either and even though the Crusnik could have picked up new weapons, he'd played the idea off. He'd used the excuse that he wouldn't know which firearm would feel the closest to the ones that Tres already had as a reason not to go.

To this Inuyasha rolled his eyes, however he didn't comment. He didn't know if he was just seeing things when it came to the Crusnik, but it left him to wonder if Kagome had managed to attract both men's attention. It wouldn't have been surprising really, she got her fair share of looks wherever they went and it was usually left to him to knock some sense into the more persistent males. _'That's something to worry about later, assuming I can get clueless here to realize he likes her.' _He didn't really want to contemplate what would happen if both men decided they wanted to fight for her attention. In that instance, he already knew who would win if it became a physical fight. However, that course of action certainly wouldn't win over Kagome's sense of what was right. More than likely she'd be furious and the winner would end up losing as well.

Instead of pondering it further, he continued with his line of thought, leading the redhead down the path of enlightenment, "Now, tell me this, is there any difference in how you feel about Kagome and Abel?" Not surprisingly, the other male didn't answer right away and Inuyasha was rather happy about that one. _ 'Man, Kagome is going to owe me big for this one.' _Just what she would owe him however was yet to be decided, but he was damned sure going to make it something good.

At last Father Tres nodded after determining there was in fact a difference. Unfortunately, there was little that he could compare it to and he was left thinking about Lady Caterina again. It was in a way, very similar yet, at the same time, there were key differences and that left him uncertain in what to think. "So what conclusion does this bring us to?" he finally asked, unwilling to assume the wrong thing. If it had been something based on mathematical calculations or scientific data, the conclusion would have already been decided. Emotions; however, were out of his field completely.

"It could be a couple of different things," Inuyasha said and heaved a sigh. This was where things could get tricky especially since, with a nose as sensitive as his, he tended to notice certain things around this particular male. Unless he missed his guess, Tres didn't even know what the hell it meant. At any rate, it was damned hard to miss the scent of arousal that had blanketed the man after the incident with the panther demons. _'My nose would have been broken to not have noticed it on Kagome, even if it was considerably fainter.' _Sooner or later someone was going to have to pull the man aside and explain to him what his body was trying to tell him, but he'd be damned if he was going to be the one to do that."I can tell you're protective of her. Is that because you've been ordered to, or because you want to?" he asked at last, trying to bring the last piece of the puzzle into play. If it was strictly lust the man felt for her, Inuyasha had no intentions of helping him just so he could get in her pants. If it looked like it was heading in that direction, he'd be sure to give Tres a good solid ass kicking for even thinking of something like that. _'Kagome deserves better, far better than that.'_

Again, Tres was forced to stop and think before answering. At the beginning of the mission, it was mainly because the Duchess had asked it of him. In some way, her story might have touched him, but there were tragedies happening all the time and there was nothing to be done about it. Kagome's had happened several centuries before and had it not been for what was happening to people he'd known, he probably wouldn't have given it a second thought at all.

However, in the time that they'd been in this era, she'd gone out of her way to make the transition as easy as possible for him in spite of her own problems. It had given them something in common and he'd found himself drawn to her more so than he'd ever expected. The question was, was it that damned bond at play or was it something that actually came from how he felt? In this instance, he hated being manipulated and there was absolutely no way to determine which it was. All it came down to, was that he enjoyed being around her, even if he didn't understand the way he felt about it.

"You've figured it out, right?" Inuyasha asked quietly, keeping just enough of his attention on where he was going to keep him from straying off course. He saw the way the man's face changed when he finally realized the answer to the question. "It's because you want to."

Tres merely nodded, seeing no need to voice the conclusion that he'd come to, especially seeing that the hanyou looked like he had something else to say. In the end, did it matter whether it was the bond or not if the outcome made him happy? It was something he'd never even considered possible before, and he was loathe to cast it aside on just a suspicion.

"And how would you feel if someone actually managed to hurt her, or worse?" Inuyasha asked carefully. It was a hypothetical question, at best, because there was no way in hell she was going to get injured so long as he was around. Even if this guy and his goofy friend didn't lift a finger, he'd be there to make sure nothing happened. He'd been protecting her for years and he wasn't about to shirk his duties now just because she had two more people to look after her. But he did want to know what the redhead's reaction would be to the question and he didn't have to wait long for it.

"That will not happen," Tres stated firmly, leaving absolutely no room for doubt. He didn't care what sort of hell they all had to go through, but he wasn't about to allow her to come to harm. _'Even if the future was not riding on her survival, the option of death is not acceptable. I will not allow it.' _The very idea angered him and brought forth the desire to kill.

"That's what I figured, "Inuyasha said with a nod, "Well, this is just a guess, but I'd say you're falling for her. Whether it's something that develops into something more or not, who knows." Really, he was the last person to be making predictions or giving advice to since he couldn't even manage to keep his own relationship with Kikyo from falling apart. It was the reason that she'd died after all. Then he had to take into account, the fact, that it had taken Kagome kicking him in the ass to even notice that there was something more going on between Sango and Miroku than just sheer perversion. Even then he hadn't wanted to believe it, and he still wondered if the Slayer had lost her damned mind. Miroku's wandering hand really hadn't calmed down, even after she'd accepted his proposal. The redhead's next question; however, jolted him out of his inner thoughts.

"Explain, except for the time she attempted to escape I have not fallen yet," Tres replied rather testily. Now more than ever he wished he'd given into the Professor's suggestion that he needed additional programming in order to deal with the intricacies that came with dealing with humans. Unfortunately, he'd declined the offer because Lady Caterina hadn't ordered it and, at the time, he had no desire to understand humans anymore than he already did. It had been bad enough he had the vestiges of human emotion to begin with.

The cryptic statement had Inuyasha raising an eyebrow, "I'm almost afraid to ask what the hell you mean by that, but in answer to your question, it means you're falling in love. Sheesh, didn't those whack jobs in your own time teach you anything?" His ears flicked in annoyance, almost anticipating the question of 'what is love' coming from the guy. If that was the case, he'd have to restrain himself from dropping the man off a cliff and claiming it was an accident. Someone who didn't even know the principle behind that emotion couldn't possibly give Kagome what she needed to be happy. In that instance, he'd make sure that Abel was the one to begin spending more time with her, just to nip any potential romances from blooming.

"I was programmed with the information that was required for the position I filled," Tres replied absently, his mind focusing on the concept of love. Of course he knew what it was by definition, but it wasn't something he considered possible for him to feel. Yet, if the hanyou was right, the seemingly impossible had come to pass. Did he hold affection for her? The concept was a rather vague one, but when he put it in terms like Inuyasha had earlier, comparing what he felt for her as opposed to any of the others, he could see a distinct difference. While it wasn't as strong as what he felt for the Cardinal, he could see it developing into something similar.

"Yeah well, you'd better learn fast. If I've learned anything about Kagome over these past several years, it's that traveling with her ain't exactly easy. She attracts too much attention and if you wait too long, you'll lose your chance to win her," Inuyasha advised, content enough with the answer he'd been given. He then fell silent on the subject, choosing instead to resume his previous path through the trees which made talking impossible. _'Well my good deed is done for the day. Anything else is up to him and Abel, assuming either of them can figure out what the hell it is they're doing.'_

It was nearly four hours later when they finally arrived at the well and Inuyasha was more than ready to stop traveling. In fact, he was almost expecting Tres to suggest heading back to the village and overnighting there, but he'd been surprised that after only a moment to stretch, the priest was peering down into the depths of the well.

"Are you sure this is gonna work for you?" Inuyasha asked doubtfully. Yeah, he knew all about the bond that had been formed, but he still wasn't altogether certain if it would work or not. He'd rather liked the idea of having something that the other two didn't, but most likely it was nothing more than a fleeting wish.

"Positive," Tres replied, not the least bit concerned about the portal's acceptance of him. He'd already traversed time once and the ancient priestess had said that if it had existed at that point in time, the three of them could have made use of it. Now should be no exception provided that Kagome stayed safe. _'She has Father Nightroad there to ensure that, now I must focus on the mission at hand.'_

Inuyasha shrugged and then peered down into the depths of the well himself, "Alright then, let's get this thing over with." If it didn't work, the worst the other man was looking at was a rather rough landing down on the hard packed dirt at the bottom. Unfortunately, if that happened, it would make things considerably more difficult for him since he hadn't the first clue where to look for the type of weapons the priest needed.

Without waiting for an answer, he leapt over the edge and allowed the blue energy to surround him, transporting him to another time. A flurry of movement from above told him that the priest was making the plunge as well. Within moments the blue light faded, leaving them floating along a black, speckled sky that was not unlike the night and then it was gone. The transition through time took only a few seconds and soon enough they were within the well house, shrouded in darkness.

"Well, we made it. Let's go," he said quietly and leapt out of the well, leaving Tres to climb up the ladder that had been permanently affixed to the side. As expected, there were no sounds coming from beyond the building. Until they actually succeeded in killing Naraku in the past, the future would not change. Carefully he scented the air to make sure that there was no trace of that particular demon lurking nearby, but as expected all traces of him was gone. _'He wouldn't have a reason to return here anyway. Most likely the bastard is off on that wild goose chase for the jewel by now.'_

Tres said nothing as he hauled himself up and over the edge. The door to the well house slid open easily enough revealing the darkened courtyard outside and they slipped outside into the darkness. Quickly, he took in their surroundings, immediately noticing the large house that was only a few yards away. It struck him as odd the differences in the area spanning the three eras. In his own time, it appeared to be quite similar to the way it looked in the Feudal era. Now; however, it looked completely different and it took him off guard for a moment. Shaking his head, he briefly looked towards the Goshinboku, noting its position before striding quickly to the house. They had things to do and he wasn't going to get sidetracked by considering the fact that Kagome had died there less than a month ago.

"Hey, I thought we were gonna go grab your guns first. We can pick up the rest of the crap Kagome wanted later," Inuyasha protested, yet followed the taller man anyway. To be honest, he had no desire to step inside that house again considering what he'd seen last time. It was a horrid reminder that he'd failed to protect the girl, leaving him to wonder if her spirit lingered somewhere around the house watching him. Somehow he doubted it since the future was slowly being altered with each day she remained in the past.

"Our first priority is obtaining a location," Tres replied and eyed the front door, not realizing the inner turmoil that the hanyou was putting himself through. Apparently the authorities had been there sometime after the hanyou had last come through the well because there was police tape marking off the front door as a crime scene. Testing the knob proved that it was locked, just like he'd expected it to be. Without sparing a second thought to what he was about to do, he kicked the door open and proceeded inside, leaving Inuyasha to trail in behind him.

Bracing himself for a second trip through the house, Inuyasha followed the redhead and was relieved to find that a lot of the decomposing flesh had been removed from the house. If nothing else, it made the stench a little bit easier to bear. But it was still a reminder that he could have done without. "So what are you looking for?" Inuyasha asked at last when Tres began searching the living room for some unknown item.

"A directory," he replied absently and pulled open another drawer on the end table. Of course there was nothing there so he moved the search to the kitchen. Had he been in his own era and in his original form, he could have jacked into a data line and found the information instantly, but since he wasn't he had to work with what he had.

Raising a brow, Inuyasha followed him into the kitchen, "If you're looking for the junk drawer it's the drawer along the far wall." He'd been in this room often enough to know where most of the items were and, even though he wasn't quite sure what a directory was, he didn't think that a form of cooking utensil was going to give the man what he needed.

"Thank you," Tres murmured and opened the drawer that the hanyou had directed him to. Fortunately, that was exactly what he needed and quickly he removed the phone book to begin his search. As the pages flipped past though, one thing became abundantly clear, fire arms weren't as easy to acquire here in Japan as opposed to within Rome. Only two gun shops were listed, at all, in the entire city of Tokyo, leaving him to wonder if there was some prohibition about carrying weapons.

Still, it was worth a shot to check it out and he memorized the addresses. Only then did he turn to the back of the book, searching out the map of the city. It took a bit of looking, but eventually he had the locations pinpointed; now all they had to do was wait. Shutting the phone book, he looked over to Inuyasha, "Show me to Kagome's room."

"I thought I said we could do that shit later," Inuyasha groused and leaned against the wall. The sooner they got the main reason they'd come over and done with, the sooner they could return to the past. Really, what he wanted was to get the hell out of the house.

"Standard hours of operation for most businesses would make it difficult to obtain what we need at this time. We must wait another two hours before attempting to infiltrate the location," Tres replied matter of factly, leaving no room for argument. The truth was, neither of them had the money which would be required to pay for the weapons, nor did they have the time or identification they would need. With those limitations in place, it meant they'd be forced to break in and take what they needed, something that couldn't be accomplished at the present time. In doing so, there was a good chance the authorities would be alerted to the situation rather quickly. They wouldn't have time to pack things up later so it was best to move late at night when it would take longer for them to respond.

That had Inuyasha cursing beneath his breath, he hadn't even thought about whether or not the places would still be open. Of course, they could go now, but to do so would likely attract unwanted attention. "Alright, I guess we can get the rest of the stuff now," he said and pushed away from the wall, "Follow me."

Neither spoke as they made their way up to the second floor, but each of them spared a glance at the large blood stain that marred the carpet on their way through the living room. If it hadn't been for the blood and the lingering scent of death, one could imagine that the occupants of the house were merely out for the night and were due to return at any time. Nothing had been out of place and would likely remain undisturbed until the authorities decide what needs to be done with the family shrine. It was a decidedly eerie feeling when they both advanced up the stairs, but neither man paused in the ascent.

"Here it is," Inuyasha said quietly and pushed the door open. The interior was pretty much the same as the last time he'd been in the room. Kagome had always been a neat person by nature so he wasn't surprised to see that even the bed was made. "Do you remember what all she wanted?"

"Positive. Where is this backpack she spoke of?" Tres asked, briefly scanning the room. The girl had asked for quite a few things and the hanyou had protested vehemently against bringing back so much stuff. However, the girl could never return home and thus, this was likely to be one of the last chances she had to retrieve anything she deemed important.

"That's probably in the closet," Inuyasha said and moved towards the smaller room. The door opened easily enough and, as expected, the bag lay on the bottom of the floor. However, sometime after the miko had returned she'd emptied it, but he wasn't complaining since it saved them a bit of trouble. "Here," he said and tossed the pack to the redhead, "We might as well start with the clothes since we're in the closet anyway."

When the hanyou began pulling out what looked to be a myriad of dresses and uniforms, Tres shook his head, "Shouldn't we be packing something more suited to traveling?" One of the things he'd never quite understood was that the females on the AX team wore dresses as well when they were expected to go into combat situations, but what the hanyou was planning on bringing the girl was infinitely worse given the terrain they'd be traveling.

"It's what Kagome wore before," Inuyasha said with a shrug of the shoulders. He'd never quite understood why she wanted to wear them either, but it was her choice. However, the look that he was receiving now told him what the priest thought of that idea and he shrugged again, "Fine, you be the one to pick her clothes, but if she bitches it's gonna be at you, not me."

"The repercussions are minimal and do not outweigh the benefit of proper traveling attire," Tres replied and began pulling out the clothing that he felt would be a better choice. Even if the miko complained, he doubted that there would be much heat behind it. She was already learning that when it came to decisions concerning her welfare, his decisions would not be swayed.

To this Inuyasha snorted in disbelief, "I think I'm gonna take Miroku up on that bet. You're gonna end up with a rosary long before we find Naraku. Kagome ain't gonna put up with you making the decisions for her for very long." Of course he was almost hoping that she wouldn't do it anytime soon after hearing how she tried diving out the damned window. He'd taken great pleasure in waking her ass up just to bitch about knowing when the hell to stay out of a fight. _ 'Heh, the look on her face when she expected Abel to back her up and he chewed her ass out too was priceless.'_

Tres immediately knew what brought that smug look of satisfaction on his face and shook his head, "To do so she would need assistance, and Miroku is not so foolish. The old miko would not assist her either seeing that we pose no danger to her. A rosary for either myself or Father Nightroad is unlikely at this time." While he would consider himself a risk taker, there were some things even he would avoid at all costs, and that rosary was one of them. Not because he feared the gravity check, but because it would put him in a position of being unable to defend himself and the others should trouble occur.

"Hell, who are you kidding? She's got that old woman wrapped around her finger and the only reason Miroku wouldn't do it is because it would mean he'd lose the bet," Inuyasha said with a chuckle, "You may want to leave some room in that bag you know. Kagome doesn't need you to bring her entire wardrobe."

Ignoring the hanyou for the moment, he walked over to the dresser and yanked the top drawer open. Just as Kagome had said there would be, there were plenty of the undergarments which she'd asked for. However, he wasn't about to sort through them and Inuyasha looked as if he was about to have a coronary when he grabbed a handful of them to shove in the bag.

"I'll just grab the stuff out of the bathroom," Inuyasha said uneasily and walked out of the room. The things Kagome wore were vastly different then what was worn in his own era, and the first time he'd seen them, he hadn't even known what they were, at least until Kagome had noticed him examining what she called a bra, and then flipped out on him for touching it. _'How the hell was I supposed to know what it was for?' _

No, he'd much rather not be the one picking through her underwear and collecting the bathing stuff was a far safer task. The shampoo and conditioner were just where he expected, but before he collected them he turned to the cabinets beneath the sink. "Let's see now," he murmured and pulled them open. Like he'd thought, there were a variety of towels and washcloths, all of which she'd need. Grabbing a handful, he placed them up on the counter top before looking through the cupboard one final time. A small cardboard box grabbed his attention and he pulled it free, his brow furrowing in concentration. _'Feminine protection, huh? Oh yeah, those are the things she plugs herself up with during her monthly cycle, can't forget them. Now, if only I could find those anti-bitch pills she uses when she gets so pissy._'

In the other room, Tres finished shoving clothes into the bag and took one final look around the room. On the dresser were several pictures of her family and, without a second thought, he added them to the collection of what they would take back to her. The last item that he picked up was a strange stuffed doll that had been sitting on her pillow. "Humans collect the strangest items," he said, examining it closely to try and determine just what it was. It appeared to be human, but had rather large red eyes and an oddly spiked hair style, but at least it was better than the pink zebra that was tucked away on the far side of the bed. Shrugging his shoulders, he added it to the bag, leaving just enough room for the stuff that the hanyou was bringing in from the bathroom.

"That's everything," Inuyasha said, dropping the last of the stuff in the pack before zipping it closed. Not surprisingly, there wasn't enough room in it for food, but he'd almost been expecting that. Maybe while they were out they could pick up another pack and devote that one solely to the things he'd wanted to get in the first place. "Can we go yet?" he asked, fixing the redhead with an exasperated look. _'Really, when the fuck did he start calling the shots around here?'_

"Negative," Tres replied and made himself comfortable for the wait they had, "We'll wait another two hours and then we'll begin our search." While it clearly didn't make the hanyou happy, at least he wasn't arguing about it. For now it was best to take advantage of whatever time they had to rest as best they could and, even if the hanyou didn't choose to take advantage of it, he would.

"Fine, you wait here and I'm gonna run this stuff over to the other side. Kaede should still be awake and I'm not carting all this crap halfway across Japan. I'll be back," he replied and shouldered the pack before walking out the door. If nothing else, the old woman wouldn't have a problem looking after most of Kagome's stuff while they were gone and he could find out if there had been any new developments.

_Later That Evening_

"Are you sure this is the place?" Inuyasha asked doubtfully while keeping a close eye on their surroundings.

He hadn't been expecting this shop to be in what would have been considered one of the more heavy populated districts of the city, yet, that's exactly where they'd found themselves. Now he was glad he'd bothered with the stupid hat Kagome normally forced him to wear, even if he hadn't taken the time to put the shoes on. People glanced at them as they walked by and he couldn't help but notice how badly they stood out with the clothing they were wearing.

In fact, one particular human had Inuyasha scowling once he'd noticed they had an audience. While he didn't_ look_ to be anything out of the ordinary, Inuyasha instinctively knew there was something different about him, even if he couldn't put a name to it. That feeling only strengthened when the guy paused, as if to size them up and make a decision whether or not he was going to get involved with whatever was going on.

A tense moment of silence followed and for a moment, Inuyasha was almost positive that it was going to come to a fight between the three of them. There was a glint in those hard, brown eyes that he didn't like in the least, and even the punk's slicked back hair spoke of being at the very least a thug who was quite used to fighting. Yet the hardened look vanished after a moment and with a shrug of the shoulders, the man vanished into the night. Inuyasha barely caught the muttered words that were carelessly tossed over a green clad shoulder and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _'Damned right it's not his problem. We need to get done and get the fuck out of here, this place is pissing me off.'_

After their company had moved on, Tres signaled that it was time to go, and gestured for the hanyou to follow him around to the back. They were far too exposed at the moment and the tense moment with the stranger only moments ago solidified in his mind that was a chance someone would call the police on the pretense that they looked suspicious. Once they were in the shadows however, it would be far easier to move around and gain entrance into the building.

Unsurprisingly, there was a metal door that would be nearly impossible to kick in. Greater force was going to be needed and to that end, he gestured Inuyasha to stand behind him as a look out. Once they were inside they wouldn't be nearly so conspicuous, although they'd still have to worry about any alarm systems.

"What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha hissed when he saw the priest pull one of his guns out. There was no way in hell he could fire one of the damned things without alerting half the city to what he was doing. Quickly, his gaze darted around and his ears twitched, listening for anyone who might be coming to investigate with the noise they were making.

Technology had advanced enough that he could forgo something as bulky as a silencer whenever necessary and this was one time he was thankful for the improvements. The laser sighting landed on the keypad next to the door and then followed the electrical cable up along the wall until he found the power supply. Sighting carefully, he squeezed the trigger. Now that the first obstacle had been taken care of, he sighted on the door's deadbolt and destroyed it as well.

The muffled pops that had followed certainly hadn't been what Inuyasha had been expecting and he breathed a sigh of relief. Most likely the noise had been swallowed by the traffic for anyone who happened to be walking out front. "Let's hurry up, there's no telling how long it'll be before someone notices us," he whispered and slipped into the darkened building. For a moment he thought about finding a light switch, but then decided against it. There was no way to be certain that even a weak light wouldn't be seen from the front window and they couldn't afford to get caught.

"So what are we looking for anyway?" he asked at last, his eyes scanning the walls. There was plenty of merchandise as far as it went and there was a vast array of bows hanging on the walls. But they were strange looking and barely recognizable as the weapons he was used to for the most part. However, there were a couple of long bows there that he decided to check out. His fingers slid over the smooth surface and his brow furrowed at the smooth texture. Something told him that it wasn't a normal wood, or at least not any kind that he'd encountered before.

"A weapon comparable to my own or ammunition that is compatible with what I have now," Tres replied absently and continued his scan of the store. It struck him as odd that there wasn't a huge selection of weapons on hand, but then he remembered Kagome had mentioned that Japanese laws concerning them were rather strict. A handgun in a civilian's possession was nearly unheard of. But it was the best place they had to start and he knew that there was a black market for the weapons; otherwise, the Yakuza wouldn't have any in their possession.

Quickly, Inuyasha abandoned his perusal of the bows and made his way towards the priest when a glass case caught his attention. "Well, how about these," he said, indicating the shot guns that were on display. They were strangely shaped compared to what he was used to seeing, but he wasn't the gun expert either. They looked to be strong enough for what was needed, larger too. _'Keh, he could use something with a bit more power. Maybe then they wouldn't have to have strengthened that damned bond in the first place.'_

Tres spared a quick glance over and shook his head, "Insufficient fire power, suited for birds and small mammals at close range." Not to mention they were rather bulky and he preferred the versatility of his own weapons. With that in mind, he continued his search, ignoring the incredulous look the hanyou was giving him.

"What do you mean insufficient fire power? It's bigger than those things you carry around now and when the hell are you gonna start talking like a normal person anyway?" Inuyasha complained loudly. Hell, in his world size did matter when you took weapons into account. _'Tetsusaiga ain't exactly small and there isn't much that's been able to stand up to it except maybe Bankotsu's sword, but even that damned thing broke.'_

"I can use you for target practice with both weapons and we can see which one does the most damage," Tres suggested with an arched brow. Questioning his judgment was bad enough, but then to point out something that had no bearing on the situation was an added irritation. "As for my speech pattern," he pointed out, "Perhaps it's you who needs to learn to speak in an appropriate manner instead." In many ways the hanyou reminded him of Father Leon with his crude ways; however, there was one difference, Leon didn't go out of his way to piss people off. It just happened.

"Keh, there's nothing wrong with the way I talk. Hurry up and get what you need, I wanna get out of here," Inuyasha groused irritably and crossed his arms over his chest. He would have bitched more about that particular suggestion, but they were supposed to be doing something. _'I don't want to be in this God forsaken place any longer than I have to. I'd thought the area around the shrine smelled bad, but this place positively reeks.'_

Satisfied that his point had been made, Tres moved behind the counter and continued the search. Unfortunately, there just wasn't anything at all resembling what he needed. _'Perhaps such weapons would not be available to public view if they are considered illegal for anyone except law enforcement.' _Quickly he made his way back to the office they had passed on the way in and began a scan of the room.

Inuyasha followed him curiously and was again surprised when the man pulled out his gun, only to begin firing at what appeared to be a rather large gray box pushed up against the wall. When the door popped open though, he could see that the priest had indeed found what he was looking for. "So which one are you taking?" he asked, although he was wondering just why the hell they were in a box to begin with. _'How can you sell them if people can't even see them?' _Once again, he was left to wonder about the humans of this time and their intelligence.

For now, Tres ignored the question and began checking each weapon. Those that were of the wrong caliber were set back immediately and it wasn't long before he found the one he was looking for. Immediately, he tucked it into his trench coat and began sorting through the ammunition; however, he paused upon seeing a caliber bullet that might work for the guns he'd brought with him. Quickly, he unchambered a round and examined it next to the bullets he'd found in the safe. To his surprise, it was a near perfect match. '_Definitely an unexpected development, but welcome nonetheless.'_

Seeing that the priest had found what he was looking for, Inuyasha held the bag open and waited while Tres began to dump as much of the ammunition in it that he could find. Once he was finished, the bag was zipped up, and he was heading towards the door, "Let's get out of here."

"Positive," Tres replied, giving the room one final sweep and then followed the hanyou out into the night. The sooner they returned to the shrine, the sooner they'd be able to return to the past and he could resume his mission. Strangely enough, he was looking forward to seeing the miko again and maybe, just maybe, figuring out exactly what it was that the hanyou had been trying to tell him at the beginning of the journey.

"Dammit, enough with the positive shit! It's yes dammit, yes! Get it through your head!" Inuyasha yelled, for once not giving a damn if anyone heard him or not.


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

Author's Note: For those wondering, yes that was a cameo appearance by Yusuke. I'm afraid that I couldn't help myself, it was just too tempting to pass up.

Also, a question was posed as to whether Hiei, Yusuke and Kurama would have been able to survive Armageddon. I would have to believe that it was possible, especially considering how likely it would be that the three of them would have been living in the Makai at that time. Since it's an alternate dimension of sorts, what happens in the human world would not necessarily affect them in the demon world. Whether they'd have an interest in getting involved in the Ningenkai's troubles at that point however, would definitely be up for debate.

_**Chapter Ten**_

Almost two weeks had passed since Inuyasha and Father Tres had returned to Kagome's time. Since then, they'd gained quite a bit of ground, covering a considerable distant with each day that passed. Rumors of Naraku had even surfaced, causing the group to push ever harder in an attempt to find him; however, it seemed like nature was attempting to conspire against them.

For the past hour or so, small tremors had wracked the land and it made them all uneasy since their travels had taken them up onto the narrow mountain trails. More than once, small rock showers had pelted them and Kagome had nearly been flattened by a boulder that had come loose during one of the small earthquakes. It had only been Inuyasha's quick reflexes which had knocked her out of the way, but that had been more than enough to stop the group from traveling any further into the mountains.

"Shit, brace yourselves," Inuyasha warned, his keen hearing immediately picking up on the sound of the fault line shifting yet again. Before he could make a grab to shelter Kagome from any falling debris, Father Tres had moved in and pulled her up against his chest.

What began as a dull hum quickly became a quiet roar and debris began falling all around them. Shippo took sanctuary with Inuyasha while Sango and Miroku braced themselves against the cliff wall they were all trapped against. Whispered prayers were lost to the sound of Mother Nature exerting her control over the surrounding area, as all they could do was cling to the side and pray it would be over soon.

Inuyasha knew that these were merely the tremors that signaled that the worst was still to come. "We've gotta get off this mountain now," he ordered and contemplated the quickest way to get down. "Sango, we need Kirara to carry the others down before another one hits." He could carry Kagome and Shippo easily enough if necessary, but the others just weren't possible. Unfortunately, Kagome was also one of the ones that needed to get down first which meant for now; he was going to have to send her off without him.

"Kagome, you, and Tres go first, I'll take Shippo. Sango can grab Miroku and Abel on the second trip," he said, making the decision just as another tremor hit. There wasn't any time to argue about who went on what trip and while he knew that Shippo would prefer to stay with Kagome, Kirara would already be pushing her limit at carrying the three adults.

Kagome knew better than to argue with him so instead she nodded and tried to make her way over to the fire cat. Only the fact that Tres had a firm grip on her arm kept her from losing her precarious balance. Once she reached the fire cat's side she still needed his assistance in getting up on Kirara's back. Anxiously she wrapped her arms around Sango's waist and held on as tightly as she could without causing her friend discomfort. Meanwhile, Tres somehow managed to climb on behind her and within seconds they were in the air and heading back towards the base of the mountain.

Now that they were in the air they could see just how violent the earthquake was even if it might be considered a small one at best. Treetops lashed about violently, rocks fell, and beneath them a lake's water surged up onto the banks. _'I hope the others will be all right until Sango gets back to them.'_ The view she had from above only drove the point home about how much danger their friends were still in while they remained on the mountain.

Sensing her Mistresses distress, Kirara flew as fast as she possibly could, approaching the ground at near breakneck speeds. The location wasn't particularly important just as long as there wasn't the chance for falling debris and ended up setting them down in a gully. As soon as her feet touched ground she came to a stop, anxiously waiting for two of her passengers to dismount.

"Just wait here for us," Sango instructed the smaller girl and then allowed the fire cat to take to the air again. However, she regretted the decision almost immediately when the major earthquake Inuyasha had been worried about chose to strike. "Kirara, go back," she shouted when she looked back to see that both Kagome and Father Tres couldn't stand any longer. The sound of several large cracks filled the air just as the fire cat altered her course and suddenly Sango was filled with the sense of impending disaster.

Weakly, Kagome attempted to push herself to her hands and knees when the shaking became even more violent and the musty scent of earth filled the air. "Father Tres," she shrieked, when she realized just what was about to happen and she crawled over to him as best as she could, knowing that they_ had _to get out of the depression now. However, there was no chance of escape when the ground cracked and split beneath them, revealing the concealed cavern that lay below.

Quickly Tres lunged towards the girl and grabbed a hold of her even though he knew that neither one of them could stop themselves from falling. Kagome's scream of fear filled the air when the ground gave way completely and the most he could do was attempt to absorb as much of the impact as he could. The ground rushed up to greet him violently and when his back slammed into the rocky surface it knocked the wind out of him, stunning him in the process.

Although she was sore from the impact, Kagome knew that Tres had taken the worst of it and their ordeal wasn't over just yet. "Come on, we've got to get up," she shouted, grabbing hold of his coat and attempting to haul him to his feet as the first of the mudslide began. With increasing speed, it began to pour over the broken edge above. "Please, Tres," she begged even though she knew he'd probably hit his head rather hard when she'd landed on him.

It was the fear in her voice that reached him and with a groan he rolled over, pushing himself to his feet. For now, he ignored the searing pain in his leg and the sharp throbbing in the back of his head, choosing instead to concentrate on getting the miko away from the immediate danger. "We need to move away from the entrance," he said, ignoring the pain he felt when taking a deep breath in order to speak. That pain alone told him it was likely that he'd broken some ribs in the fall as well.

Immediately, Kagome took his hand and began to lead him deeper into the cavern. "This way," she said while trying to peer into the darkness. The sound of running water told her that they'd fallen into an underground river and since the chamber wasn't flooded, there had to be another way out besides the way they'd come in. A quick glance thrown over her shoulder proved that the mudslide was doing much to fill that same hole and within moments it would be gone along with what little light they had.

"We should... be far enough for now," Tres said and slowed so that he could take stock of his own injuries. Carefully, he leaned against the wall and just rested for a moment, trying to get his bearings back. Surely the others had witnessed just what had happened and it wouldn't be long before they managed to dig them out. Of course that was assuming that the area was stable enough to work in; otherwise, there was a good chance they'd be attempting to walk out of the cavern instead.

"How bad is it?" Kagome asked when the redhead moved until he was sitting on the ground. Slowly, she knelt in front of him and attempted to peer through the darkness, but was dismayed to find that there was no way for her to see for herself because the light was virtually nonexistent.

"Troublesome, but not life threatening," he replied and gently probed his ribs. The pain was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before and he was forced to bite back a groan. _'Broken ribs confirmed movement will be problematic until they heal.' _As much as he hated to admit it, until he'd recovered there was a good chance that the Crusnik would be forced to take over his duties. Even worse still, he'd be the one to hold back the search for Naraku. The thought was not a particularly pleasant one and again he was cursing his human body.

"Just a moment," Kagome replied and shrugged off the small shoulder pack she'd been carrying. Now more than ever she was grateful that she'd taken to carrying the damned thing wherever she went, it was going to come in handy. Fumbling through the dark, she pulled open the zipper and felt around for the pen light she'd thrown inside. "Ah ha, there it is." she said and pulled it out. The small light filled the air, causing her to frown when she saw the blood seeping from a cut on his head, "That looks bad, we should take care of that so it doesn't get any worse."

Tres ignored the comment and took the light from her so he could get a look at her condition. When nothing became immediately apparent he nodded in satisfaction, "Good, you are uninjured." In his opinion, his injuries were secondary compared to the ones that she might have acquired in the fall and he knew the others would feel the same way.

"Yeah, except for a couple of skinned knees, nothing to worry about. Where all are you hurt?" she asked, leaving the light to him so both of her hands were free. Quickly she removed the first aid kit and began digging around for the alcohol pads. It was rather surprising to see just how complete the pack was compared to how it had been when she'd returned home for the last time. The only thing she could figure was that her mother had thought that she'd be returning to the past one day and had prepared for that eventuality. The thought brought tears to her eyes and she attempted to blink them away before Tres could notice them.

"Damage sustained: one minor head wound, two broken ribs without internal injuries and one gash on the right thigh," he replied automatically, concentrating on answering her question rather than dwelling on how long it was going to take to recover.

"That good huh?" Kagome replied with a sigh and ripped the paper wrapping open, "I need you to hold the light on the cut on your head and don't move. This is going to sting a bit." Once the light was in position she began to dab at the cut, cleaning the blood and dirt from it the best that she could. Fortunately, it didn't appear to be too deep, it just looked worse than it was because of how freely head wounds tended to bleed.

To her surprise though, Tres didn't even flinch in spite of how much she knew it had to sting. Vaguely she remembered the time she had sliced her head open as a child, she'd bawled like a baby and swore that her mother wasn't touching her with alcohol ever again. _'I guess he's a lot stronger than I was or I was just a big baby. Maybe both.' _Now that the wound was cleaned she tossed the used alcohol pad back into the bag, not particularly wanting to leave it on the ground and pulled out the small bottle of skin glue. "Same drill okay, this might sting a bit."

Father Tres nearly rolled his eyes at the warning; his head already ached so a bit of an added sting in treating it wasn't likely to make much of a difference at all. But instead he humored her, knowing that she was most likely talking in an attempt to distract herself from their current situation. It was decidedly odd though, having his skin glued back into place was a technique he never would have considered using.

"There, that's done. I guess you should take your coat off so I can get a look at your ribs and leg," she said quietly, hoping that the man wasn't going to have to strip completely. _'He said it was on his thigh though which means we can't push the pants up that far. I just don't want him moving around too much, it might aggravate his ribs.'_

Although he wasn't about to say it, Tres was more than a little irritated by what was happening. Not because Kagome was attempting to take care of him, but because she was being forced to in the first place. Not for the first time he was wishing his body wasn't so susceptible to becoming injured; however, there was nothing to be done about it now. Methodically, he began working at the buckles holding his shoulder guards in place and shrugged them off before applying his fingers to the clasps that held the trench coat closed. Within moments, he'd taken it off, but before he could begin unbuttoning the plain, white shirt, Kagome had beaten him to it.

"You shouldn't move too much," she offered as an explanation, but she didn't bother to pause to make sure it was okay. However, if he wanted to put up a fight about it, she was fully prepared to press the issue if need be. _'It's not like I'm doing this for a cheap thrill or anything. Groping an injured person isn't my idea of fun anyway.' _Yet as soon as the thin material slid from his shoulders she was forced to remember what had happened that day in the hut. _'Get a grip, Kagome, he's probably forgotten all about that by now anyway.'_

"You are flushed again," Tres stated, proving her thought of a few moments ago wrong, "Are you sure you are uninjured?" Slowly he brought his hand up to her face, checking for himself that she wasn't going into shock or something.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Kagome protested weakly and turned towards the small pack, hoping that the shadows would conceal her blush. _'Okay so maybe he hasn't forgotten about that after all.' _A large role of adhesive tape found its way into her hand and she began pulling several strips off of it. "Just relax for me; we need to immobilize the area as much as we can without restricting your breathing. Shine that light down on the area would you?" she asked and frowned when she saw the bruise that was spreading, leaving no doubt as to which ribs were causing the problems.

Gently she placed the tape directly over the affected area, being as careful as she could when applying enough pressure to secure the bandage in place. Five more strips were to follow, starting at the sternum and wrapping all the way around to his spine. Fortunately he didn't have to move much; the exception being when she needed to reach around him and then it was as little as possible. Now, the only problem that remained was the gash in his leg and a quick look revealed what she'd suspected before. "The pants are going to need to come off, I can't really see how bad it is with them on," Kagome replied, hoping that he didn't take the statement the wrong way.

It was curious how she was trying to keep a serious facade while her face continued to heat up, but Tres passed it off as a strange habit. Really, the girl had quite a few of them so one more wasn't particularly unusual. The thought crossed his mind that it could be due to modesty issues, but then she hadn't seemed to be too uncomfortable when she'd been naked in the tank. Nor had she thrown him from the room when Sister Esther ordered Shippo out. Either way, it really didn't matter in the long run. Although it was difficult, he managed to unbutton the pants and then slide them down over his hips, despite the fact that he was sitting down. There was no point in removing the boots he wore since he wasn't stripping them completely off.

Seeing that he was wearing boxers was a bit of a relief and some of the blush faded from Kagome's cheeks. Seeing that he wasn't particularly concerned with her seeing him in a semi clothed state also brought a small measure of comfort. Yet, that relief quickly changed to one of concern when she saw just how deep the wound was along with how much blood had poured from the ragged incision. _'It's a wonder he hasn't passed out on me.' _While an artery hadn't been nicked, it wasn't something to just brush off either. Unfortunately, she'd never stitched a wound shut and that's exactly what he needed, just wrapping it wasn't an option and they couldn't even think of moving him otherwise. Yet these were far from the ideal circumstances to consider doing such a thing, but the fact of the matter was, they were out of options.

"Oh God, I think I'm gonna be sick," she moaned when she realized just what she would need to do. Sewing a ripped garment was one thing, but her guardian's leg?

"Kagome?" Tres queried and stared into her pale face. He'd seen that the wound was fairly deep and would need tending to, but she seemed to have suddenly lost her confidence in her ability to treat it. When she looked at him, he nodded to her, "Go ahead and do it."

"Alright," Kagome replied and took a deep breath to calm her nerves, "just... hold the light steady alright? I've got to clean it out good otherwise it'll get infected." This time the alcohol pads weren't going to be anywhere near enough and she reached into the pack in order to remove the small bottle of iodine that had been stashed away in there. With shaky hands, she unscrewed the top and then poured a small amount into the wound. When Tres hissed in pain she looked up worriedly, but he didn't give any indication that she should stop. "I'm sorry," she whispered and continued to wash the wound out, trying to make sure she got it as clean as she possibly could. To half ass this now could easily cost him his leg, if not his life, to infection later.

"Don't be, it has to be done," Tres said after a moment. Once the initial sting had passed, the discomfort wasn't any worse than it had been previously. The miko; however, looked as if she were about to pass out at any moment.

"Take deep breaths and don't think too hard on what you're about to do," he advised and nodded in approval when she calmed down, even if it was only slightly.

"You know, healing abilities would be nice right about now," Kagome said softly, trying to disguise the bitterness she was feeling at not being able to use her holy powers to their maximum potential. Unfortunately, complaining wasn't going to change anything either and the battery wasn't going to last forever either. Quickly, she pulled out the curved needle and the sterile thread that would be used for sutures. It took a few tries, but eventually she was able to thread the damned thing and tie a knot in the end.

"Are you ready?" she asked since she didn't want to just jab him with something sharp and not give him fair warning that it was coming.

Since she was looking directly at him, Tres merely nodded and braced himself for what was to follow. Curiously, he watched her move the needle down to his leg and look for the area to start in.

"Down here," he advised, moving her hand to the proper position. While he'd never offered anyone medical attention, he had detailed files of the human anatomy and they covered the best ways to heal someone should one of his team mates need it.

"Here goes nothing," Kagome muttered and pierced the skin as quickly as she could. As expected, the priest winced, but to his credit he didn't complain and he didn't push her away as she'd expected. Instead, he remained as still as possible, allowing her to work as best as she could. Carefully, she pulled the skin back into its proper position and made sure that there were no gaping holes before she tied each knot. It seemed to take forever, but eventually the wound was closed and with the exception of a few spots that continued to ooze, the bleeding had finally stopped. With a sigh of relief, Kagome put the needle away and grabbed another roll of gauze to carefully wrap around his leg. "Tell me if it's too tight alright?"

However, there was no need to say it and Tres could tell she had extensive experience with wrapping wounds, even if this had been her first time at stitching one. Somehow it didn't surprise him though, the group as a whole tended to be rather reckless; therefore, they would be more prone to injuries. Kagome, being the type of person she was, would take it upon herself to treat them as best as she could.

"The wrapping is fine," he said and when she moved away he shifted his body just enough that he could slide his pants back into place.

"Here, let me help you with that. You shouldn't be moving that much," Kagome said, pushing his hands out of the way and working on his belts. The raised eyebrow he gave her went ignored and once his pants were securely in place, she moved to the shirt that had been removed earlier.

"How long do you think it will take them to get us out?" she asked, needing to break the silence while she worked on the row of buttons in the dim light.

"Unknown at this time if they'll be able to as the surrounding area will be highly unstable, and there is a chance of a further cave in with the aftershocks that will follow," Tres replied, his gaze going to the area they'd dropped down from. No trace remained of the entrance now and something told him that the instability of the area would prevent them from digging them out. With that factor, there was no way the hanyou could blast them out either, the resulting cave in would likely crush them.

That answer was not particularly reassuring, but at least it was an honest one. "I guess that means we'll need to find another way out then and hope that Inuyasha realizes what it is that we're doing," she said at last. If she thought there was any chance that he'd hear her she'd try yelling up to him. However, there looked to be nearly forty feet of solid mud in between them and where Inuyasha was probably cursing up a storm. The added danger was that the man might try to blast his way through using the Tetsusaiga which could end up killing them in the process. Digging them out without it was highly unlikely and they couldn't risk the chance of remaining in one spot because of it.

"There should be an exit, we'll just need to follow the river to its end," Tres said after a moment. The brief look he'd gotten of it before the light had been taken away gave the river the impression of being fairly deep, at least at this particular point. With luck they'd be able to get out of the cavern even if it meant having to swim at some point to get under any low lying rocks.

The statement had Kagome looking at him skeptically, "Are you even going to be able to walk is the question. If you strain your leg too much you'll tear the stitches out, and as much as I'd like to, there's no way in hell I can carry you."

The very idea would have been laughable if the situation hadn't been so serious. The most she could do was offer him some support if he needed someone to lean on, but that was about it.

Father Tres nodded and finished buckling his trench coat with the miko's help. "Positive," he said and pushed himself up with the aid of the wall at his back and Kagome in front of him. The pain was intense, but bearable. So long as they stopped often before the muscle gave signs of being stressed too much he'd be fine.

"We should start moving," he said at last and then made sure that his weapons were securely in place.

"Let me just finish packing this stuff up," she replied and hastily shoved the first aid kit back in the pack. The idea of moving was sounding better and better since the temperature felt to be hovering right around fifty degrees and she was not dressed for the cooler temperatures. Tres on the other hand had that heavy coat, but even if he were to offer it to her she wouldn't consider taking it. Being injured meant he was more susceptible to shock and she didn't want to compound the problem if she could avoid it. Moving at this point was the quickest way to keep herself warm.

Fortunately; however, if they were to be underground for any real length of time, she had the thermal blanket which had come with the first aid kit. But that was only to be used as a last resort because she had absolutely no intention of spending more than a few hours below ground. So long as Tres was able and willing to walk, she wasn't about to stop.

Before they'd gotten very far though, the faint rumbling she'd come to despise began again and Kagome pressed up against the wall, praying that the ceiling wasn't about to come down and bury them under several tons of rock.

Immediately, Tres moved to cover her, despite the pain that he was in as the pebbles rained down from above. It wasn't much, but he was able to shield her from most of it, even if he himself was worried about just how stable the cave was.

"It'll pass soon," he told her over the sounds of the Earth moving and silently prayed that it was true.

A shudder wracked her body, but Kagome nodded anyway knowing that he was correct. These things never lasted long, a few seconds at most, but it could easily seem like the longest moments in your life. Eventually, the tremors died down and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come on," she said, stepping away from the shelter that he'd provided, "We should hurry. I don't want to stick around to see if our luck holds."

It was tempting to ask her whether or not she considered this to be good luck, but Tres figured that since they were both still alive there had to be something going for them. Stalagmites rose up from the ground at varying intervals and he knew that had either of them landed even six inches over to one side they could have easily been impaled on the rocky structure.

For several minutes they walked in relative silence, the only sounds being their footsteps and the water rushing nearby. Kagome kept her pace relatively easy so as not to push Tres into over exerting himself which made for easy conversations, if only they had something to talk about. The silence stretching out between them was near deafening and it was making it all too clear that they really had nothing to speak about. But still, something, anything would be better than trudging through the darkness with a near silent shadow.

Carefully, she scanned the path up ahead, illuminating the area with the pen light. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to highlight some of the colors around them.

"You know, at one time I thought it would be fun to go exploring caves," she said with a hint of amusement, "In fact, it was something I considered doing once the quest was over since it was such a change from the normal hiking we've been doing."

"This is your first time underground?" Tres queried, enjoying the fact that she was at least attempting to make conversation. He'd been wondering what would be a good topic to bring up since she seemed to be rather uncomfortable and had kept throwing him questioning looks.

"Well no, not really," Kagome started, her brow furrowing with thought, "we've been in caves before when hunting Naraku, but it was different. We weren't really taking the time to enjoy the scenery while we were walking. For the most part, we were worried about when he was going to pop out of nowhere." Well, there was the added problem with Bankotsu at the time and that had been a rather large distraction as well.

"This wasn't quite how I imagined myself doing it though," Kagome mused, "but then things rarely ever go as planned for me. I can't say I'm exactly happy with how we got down here, but it is rather nice if you ignore the obvious complications. I'm sorry I landed on you though, it's becoming a habit isn't it?"

The question had Tres' lips quirking in amusement, "Positive; however, there is no need to apologize, I positioned myself so you would not land on the ground." In the faint light he could see that she appeared to be rather surprised by the statement, which was rather strange. Father Nightroad or Inuyasha would have done the same thing, Miroku too most likely, although the monk would have used the opportunity to feel the other woman up. Speaking of which... "What is with Miroku's predilection for examining your posterior anyway?"

"Oh that?" Kagome asked with a sigh, "Call it a curse if you will, one he claims he can't control, but we all know better. The man's too perverted for his own good and one of these days Sango is going to give him permanent brain damage for it." Truthfully, they'd all been hoping that the monk's tendency for groping other women would have ceased by now, but it seemed like nothing more than a fanciful dream. The man was as bad as ever about it and more than once the sound of a harsh slap filled the air when he'd over stepped his bounds. Of course, the first time he'd done it in Father Nightroad's presence had been amusing; she'd never seen the priest turn such an interesting shade of red before.

For a moment, Tres said nothing and merely thought on that for a few moments. In the short time he'd been there, he'd seen the monk apply the action towards two females and those were the ones in the group. Kagome didn't really take offense to it and merely suggested that unless he wanted the exterminator upset with him, he'd control his roving hand. However, when he applied the same move to Sango, generally she responded with violence, if someone else was there to witness it. However, if she believed they were alone she seemed to be... far more receptive to his advances. It was rather confusing to watch the mixed signals the woman was giving off.

"So, it is a sign of affection from him?" he asked after coming to the only conclusion he could. It seemed to be irrational for him to do it otherwise and since it was mainly directed towards Sango, it would make sense.

To this Kagome laughed in amusement, "I suppose you could call it that. It's his way of showing how much he appreciates the female form." That was one way to put it anyway and she was glad that for now he'd cut back on just how many female forms he was appreciative of. Otherwise, the monk would have been dead a long time ago and it would have had nothing to do with the wind tunnel that had cursed him at one point.

Tres merely nodded in understanding then. If it was a customary way of showing a person's interest or affection then it made sense. Maybe not so much in the fact that Miroku touched Kagome in such ways, but that wasn't for him to question really. He could see why it was directed at the two women however, each was rather attractive, both in appearance and in personality. In their brief travels, they'd met quite a few of the villagers and even he had to concede that Kagome and Sango stood apart from them. A lot of it was in the way they carried themselves, their confidence, but it was definitely a noticeable difference and he couldn't fault the monk in his choices.

The particular line of thought; however, brought his mind back to the conversation that he'd had with Inuyasha the one night. Neither of them had spoken of it again, although he did find it slightly strange that when Kagome had questioned the hanyou on if they'd gotten along well, the man had shrugged and said well enough. No mention was made of their talk at all, even if the other male had arched an eyebrow in his direction and told him not to take too long in making up his mind.

So he'd spent the last couple of weeks watching her, attempting to find out what it was about the miko that he seemed to like. Unfortunately, even though they traveled together, there wasn't much time to talk. At least not the sort of meaningful conversation that would help him decide what he needed to know. He wasn't exactly the best at conversing in the first place and as for speaking about something he didn't even understand himself, he wasn't too keen about bringing it up in front of the others.

But now that they were alone, he wasn't exactly sure about what he wanted to say. So for now he continued watching her while they walked, analyzing her mannerisms for any indications of discomfort. Of course, their current situation wasn't quite helping things either and he could see that something was bothering her. For the life of him though he couldn't determine whether it was because of the circumstances they'd fallen in or because she was alone with him, without the others anywhere nearby.

Kagome bit her lip and examined the man walking next to her carefully. He'd never seemed to be one for talking, but he was more silent than ever and she'd noticed the frequent glances he kept giving her. "Are you doing alright? We can stop if you need to," Kagome suggested carefully, not wanting her words to offend him. Had it been Inuyasha walking next to her he would most likely start arguing that he was fine even if he was on death's door, but Tres seemed to be a bit more levelheaded than that. Or at least she hoped so anyway.

"Negative," Father Tres replied with a shake of his head and then decided to prompt her into continuing the discussion about her friends. It would give him more of a chance to get to know her and distract him from the throbbing pain in his leg. "At the Vatican you spoke of many friends you'd met in this time period. Do you expect any encounters with the rest of them?"

"Well," Kagome began and tapped her fingers against her chin, "It's hard to say really. Some are more likely than others I suppose; it all depends on where the hunt takes us I guess. I'd say that it's possible we'll run into Lord Sesshoumaru, but if that happens I'd advise staying out of the way." She'd spoken with Shippo enough times after her death to know that while the demon lord no longer harbored such hatred against his brother, he'd never totally accepted him either.

"Explain, any information that would pertain to future situations would be helpful," Tres said, casting a sidelong glance at the miko. The way she'd said it led him to believe that an encounter with the demon would possibly lead to conflict which could be counterproductive to their mission.

Kagome paused for a moment and turned to face him, "Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are half brothers who have never really gotten along. I think a lot of the time they meet, Sesshoumaru couldn't be bothered to deal with him, but when Inuyasha baits him he's not going to back down from a challenge either. Their fights can get pretty heated and while I don't think that he's out to kill him, Sesshoumaru has no problem with injuring him either." That was a bit of an understatement and she couldn't suppress the shudder that came with remembering how the demon lord had shoved his hand through the hanyou's chest.

"Understood, does this personal vendetta extend to the rest of the group?" Tres asked calmly, filing the information for later use. So long as it was just directed towards the hanyou he wouldn't interfere unless the fighting turned into something serious.

"Hmm, not particularly. Sesshoumaru tends to ignore the rest of us as long as we don't interfere. There were a couple of times I thought I was done for though, but that was my fault I guess. I should have stayed out of it like Inuyasha had told me to," Kagome replied with a shrug of her shoulders and kicked at a loose rock. _'It seemed like a good idea at the time, I should have known that he didn't need me to get involved after the time in his father's tomb.'_

"I see," Tres said, his voice devoid of emotion. That sentence told him all that he needed to know. Sesshoumaru was to be considered a potential threat and to be watched carefully should they encounter him. Beyond that, it became even more apparent that Kagome was all too adept at getting herself in trouble.

"But there's got to be something nice about the guy since he saved a little girl named Rin. None of us ever quite managed to figure that one out, and after talking to Shippo it became apparent that the topic of conversation was off limits. Come on, let's keep walking unless you'd rather rest some more," Kagome said and gave him a questioning look. It wasn't exactly surprising when he began moving again, albeit at a slow, but steady pace. Clearly he was in pain, but not willing to stop for long either.

"So Sesshoumaru is the one who took charge of raising Shippo after you returned to your own time?" Tres asked casually, while walking beside the girl. Something drastic had to have changed in order to make Shippo the demon that he'd met back at the Vatican. The child that kept Kagome company now was far too open and unassuming to have developed into the demon he'd become without serious interference.

Kagome shook her head, "Are you kidding? There's no way Sesshoumaru would have put up with raising him. After I left, he remained with the group so if you're wondering what happened to him, I'd say it was mainly Inuyasha's influence, at least until his death. After that, Shippo went off on his own and I guess it was quite a few years later that he actually formed any sort of partnership with Sesshoumaru." Really, the very idea of the demon lord putting up with any of the kit's antics was beyond the realms of possible. It was unbelievable enough that he was raising a little girl and for once, Kagome pitied the man. _'He's going to have a hell of a time when she hits puberty and boys start looking interesting. Then again, maybe it's the boys I should be afraid for. One wrong move towards that girl and Sesshoumaru would turn them into a pile of goo.'_

"Who is Myouga?" Tres asked quietly, switching topics abruptly. He'd heard all that he needed to hear about Inuyasha's half brother and now he was more interested in finding out about the others. It had only been a few days ago that the hanyou had commented on 'Myouga's mysterious absence' and how he was due to show up any time now, especially since it was becoming common knowledge that they were still hunting Naraku in spite of the belief that he was dead.

"Myouga?" Kagome asked, blinking in surprise, "He's a flea demon who occasionally pops up, usually to warn of trouble, but sometimes he's just looking for a free meal."

"I see, Inuyasha has predicted that he will make an appearance soon," Tres commented absently while his mind busied itself trying to imagine what the hell a flea demon would look like in the first place. The image that came to mind was anything but pretty and he hoped the image was wrong.

Kagome shrugged in response, "I guess it's possible, he does have the habit of showing up at some of the oddest times. Most likely, though, he's with Totousai right now, unless of course the sword smith has gotten himself into trouble. Myouga is a bit of a coward." That of course was putting it a bit mildly, but if Tres ever got a chance to meet him, he'd see that for himself rather quickly.

From there, Tres listened to her launch into a discussion of just who the sword smith was and how they had met. Somehow it hadn't surprised him to learn that the Tetsusaiga had broken once, but the reactions that she recounted to him did. Believing something to be infallible was foolish whether it was made of steel or not. Everything had its breaking point without exception. Both the humans and vampires of his own time had learned that lesson well, along with the one stating that no living creature was immortal. Even the Crusnik he'd worked with so closely had perished once and if it hadn't been for Caterina's idea to infuse him with Lilith's nanomachines, he'd still be down a partner. _'How many people's lives has she saved in some way?'_ So lost in thought was he that when Kagome touched his arm in concern he stared down at her in surprise. _'By the same token, how is Kagome any different? So many lives are counting on them both and they'd each give their lives to the cause.'_

"Are you sure you're all right? If you need to rest we can," she said quietly, her tone one of concern. She didn't know if it was the pain distracting him or not, but he kept spacing out leaving her to wonder if they were making a mistake in walking so much. Unfortunately, their choices were rather limited since they had virtually no supplies. Food was something they didn't have at all and even though there was a river running parallel to the path they were walking, she wasn't entirely certain about drinking out of it. While there might not be harmful bacteria in it, that didn't mean that it couldn't have high levels of minerals that could make them just as sick.

"That will not be necessary," Tres replied to reassure her and continued their walk. Up ahead a thin ray of light peeked through the ceiling; however, the amount indicated how unlikely it was to be a hole of any great size. Perhaps, though, if they were lucky enough, that area might be rather loose soil due to the roots of trees and they could enlarge it enough for at least one of them to slip through.

Seeing the man's gaze fixate on a point ahead of them, Kagome followed in the same direction and her eyes widened considerably. However, her thoughts weren't going the same direction that the priest's was. One of her fears was that the path was taking them deeper below ground since they'd been starting to travel on a downhill slope. The light showing from above told her that for now at least, they were remaining somewhat close to the surface.

"How long have we been walking do you think?" She asked when they finally reached the spot that gave them a narrow glimpse of the world above. The ceiling was relatively low in this part of the cave and the side of the wall was covered with tree roots that had grown through the cracks.

"Forty two minutes and twenty three seconds," Tres responded instantly and then arched an eyebrow when the miko started laughing, "What have you found amusing?"

"I wasn't expecting such a... precise answer," Kagome replied with a giggle and then looked at the wall again, "I wonder..." Quickly she shut off the pen light in order to conserve the battery. There were a couple more in the pack, but that was simply no reason to squander their remaining energy source.

When the miko began pulling herself up the side of the wall using the tree's roots for support, Tres shook his head, "Such action is ill advised. The rock structure has deteriorated with the growth of the trees and it has become further unstable with the earthquake." So help him if she fell this time he doubted he'd be able to move fast enough to catch her, nor was he in any condition to do so anyway. Merely speaking was painful which was one reason why he'd been content to let her do most of the talking, although he wasn't about to let on how badly it hurt.

"I'm not going up too far," she replied and concentrated on the next handhold that would allow her to pull herself closer to the ceiling. It was obvious that the crack wasn't large enough to slip through, but perhaps the others were nearby and would hear her. "Inuyasha?" she called and then winced when her voice echoed through the cavern rather loudly, "Sorry about that."

The next time she called for the hanyou she kept her voice in more moderate tones and listed carefully for any sign that he'd heard her, in spite of the echo that reverberated back to her. However, her hope dwindled rather quickly when there was no answer from above. Surely if he was anywhere nearby he would have heard her and come running. "Well, it was worth a shot," she said rather glumly and began making her way back to the ground.

"Once we get above ground it shouldn't be long before Inuyasha locates our position," Tres said, knowing full well that the breeze would carry their scent straight towards the hanyou, provided the wind direction didn't shift and there wasn't very many obstacles between them that would redirect the scent.

"You're probably right," Kagome replied and brushed her hands off against her jeans, ridding them of the dirt they'd acquired, "I guess we should keep walking then."

Yet, Tres had other ideas for the moment, "Negative. Remove the blanket from your pack; we will rest here for now." Watching her climb the rock wall had given him a close look at her in the light, and he could see that the temperature was beginning to effect her, despite the fact that they were walking. While the difference was minimal, it was slightly warmer here due to the influence of the light, making this particular spot suitable for taking a break. The added benefit was that if Inuyasha and the others happened by the area, there was a chance that they would hear them.

Secretly, Kagome was relieved for the chance to warm up and eagerly set the small pack aside to pull the blanket out of it. While thin, it would be enough to at least make it so her fingers weren't so damned cold. Of course, it wouldn't do much to warm her face up and it wasn't too long ago that her lips had lost all feeling. _ 'I don't even want to think about what weird color they might be right now. I probably look like some sort of undead freak from a movie.'_

It was difficult to maneuver into a sitting position, but somehow Tres managed with a minimum of pain. All things considered, he thought he was doing rather well, most likely due to the quick first aid work Kagome had given him. It probably wouldn't be long before his leg bandage would need to be changed; however, he'd give her a chance to warm up before mentioning it. All the walking had likely aggravated the bleeding in spite of the wound being stitched shut.

Once the blanket was securely wrapped around her body, Kagome moved to sit next to the man, "How are you holding up?" Now that she was up close and personal she could see the strain lines on his face. "I know it's not much, but if you want I'm sure there's some aspirin in the kit," she offered helpfully. The idea of taking the pills without water was enough to make her grimace in distaste; however, it was likely to be better than nothing.

Although the offer of pain relief, however fleeting, was tempting, Tres had to decline. He knew that aspirin was often used as a blood thinner and right now he couldn't afford to take the chance, especially if there was any possibility of his wound reopening. Wordlessly, he shook his head and then rested it back against the wall. While the position wasn't exactly comfortable, it took some of the strain off of his leg and he was grateful for that respite.

"You know, in some ways you remind me of Inuyasha," Kagome said quietly and wrapped the blanket more tightly around herself.

The statement had his eyes widening in surprise and disbelief. "What would prompt you to come to that conclusion?" he asked, unsure of what would make her say such a thing. While he didn't know whom he could be compared to in the group, Inuyasha wasn't one of his first choices.

The tone of his voice had Kagome laughing in amusement, "Oh don't sound like that. It's not a bad thing really, unless you happen to dislike stubbornness. I'm just saying that I could ask you ten different times if you were all right or needed anything and each time you'd say the same damned thing. That's exactly what Inuyasha would do, except he would have told me to quit being such a mother hen and get over it already." In fact, she could picture the hanyou doing that if he were here and seeing how worried she was for the redhead sitting next to her.

"You should have seen it the first time he got stabbed. I didn't know about how fast demons healed at the time so as soon as I got back with a first aid kit I told him to take his haori off. Needless to say that didn't go over too well," Kagome said with a smile, remembering that day as if it had only happened yesterday.

"Who won the confrontation?" Tres asked curiously, somewhat mollified that she wasn't comparing him to the hanyou in anything more than stoicism. He knew all too well that showing weakness, in any time period, was asking for trouble and here below ground was no exception. With a cavern this large there was every possibility that they would encounter something while walking through it. Now, whether it ended up being a bear or something more dangerous like a demon, he wasn't going to speculate.

"I did, sort of," Kagome replied with amusement, "When he wouldn't come down out of the tree I sorta... pulled him out of it." Okay, so she'd actually sat him, but that sounded so uncaring now that she thought back on it. Whatever the method she'd used, at least it had gotten him out of the tree. "Anyway after I got him down, I told him to take it off. Of course he refused, so I ended up having to sit on him to keep him from leaving. Unfortunately, Kaede walked by with some of the children from the village just as I was pulling his haori off." Oh yes, she still remembered the mortification that came with that little incident. Both her and Inuyasha had received a stern lecture later that afternoon that if they wanted to engage in such illicit activities to not do it where the children were prone to walk by. Eventually, they'd managed to straighten the misunderstanding out, but that didn't stop the children from snickering each time they saw them again.

The mental visual she'd given him had Tres snorting in amusement. Somehow he could see her doing just that and the hanyou's indignation at being manhandled in such a fashion. Something told him, though, if he'd attempted the same thing when they'd first entered the cavern he would have gotten the same treatment. In that instance, it was just best to let her have her way and avoid the confrontation that would come with telling her no.

"And he was fine, just like he'd said which left me looking like an idiot. How was I to know that the big, bad half demon could heal himself overnight? Tch, it'd be nice if we could do that, I wouldn't have had to spent the two weeks hobbling around after running around in that rock demon's stomach," Kagome said in annoyance. That had been particularly trying since she hadn't wanted to appear weak in front of the others, but it hadn't been like she'd had much of a choice.

"Speaking of your injuries, how's your leg doing? Does the bandage need changing?" she asked, peering intently at the leg in question. Without waiting for an answer, she leaned forward and started peeling the frayed edges of his pants apart to look at the bandage below. As far as she could see, the gauze was still clean with no hint of blood seeping through, but she figured that he would know better than she did.

"Negative," he replied wearily, although he wasn't altogether certain that was true either. But to ask her to take a better look involved moving and when he'd tensed his leg, preparing to shift, he'd been forced to realize how stiff the muscle had become.

The exhaustion in the redhead's voice had Kagome eying him in sympathy. "Maybe you should try to rest for a bit, maybe get a little sleep. I know we need to get out of here, but a few minutes won't hurt," she said quietly. Once they found the others, she was likely to catch hell, however, at this point; she was willing to risk it.

Tres shook his head, as tired as he was he couldn't afford to rest, "Negative. You are unarmed and the perimeter is not secure." Beyond that, he was supposed to be the one guarding her, not the other way around.

"I don't think being above ground would be any more secure than this. At least this way if something comes by there's only one way it can come from. The mudslides blocked the other way remember?" Kagome pointed out helpfully. There was no way he could refute that statement. "As far as me being unarmed, I'll stay awake while you sleep and if I hear anything I'll wake you up," she added quietly. The thought crossed her mind about using one of his guns if he was that concerned, but something told her that he'd rule out that idea immediately.

When he looked about to protest again Kagome scowled at him. "Look Mister, don't argue with me. You need rest if you're going to be good for walking later so don't look at me like that." While he'd seen a glimpse of her stubborn side, he hadn't seen the full force of it and if he argued too loudly, she had other ways of making him see her way. Just as she'd done with Inuyasha in the past, she'd show Tres now if need be. Her expression softened slightly and she touched his arm lightly, "Look, I'm just worried about you okay? Humor me for a little while, we can start walking again when you're up to it and who knows, the others might pass over us. If they, do we'll get out of here even faster, but we won't know they're around if we're not near an air shaft."

It was only because she had a point concerning the others that he finally acquiesced to her wishes and nodded. Besides, he was rather tired and a rest would do him some good even if he had no intention of truly sleeping. Reluctantly, he leaned back against the rock wall again and attempted to get comfortable. With a sigh, he allowed his eyes to close and the last thing he saw was Kagome watching over him with concern, bringing forth an unnamed emotion to make itself at home in his chest.

It was hard for Kagome to tell the exact moment that Tres fell asleep since his breathing never really deepened, and she knew that he fought true sleep for the longest time. In response, she tried to move as little as possible so that she didn't disturb him. Secretly, though, she was rather worried since they hadn't heard any signs of the others. They'd been in this particular spot for a while and there hadn't been any sign of them yet. The only thing she was thankful for was that they'd been trapped down here fairly early in the morning which meant that there would be plenty of daylight so Inuyasha and the others could search.

However, the small ray of light from above offered some comfort and she wasn't adverse in taking it where she could get it. A gentle sigh escaped her lips and she turned to look at her companion. Somehow, in spite of it all, he'd been reasonable company which had done much to calm her own nerves and it seemed like he'd gone out of his way to distract her from the situation, even if he hadn't spoken all that much. _'He's doing far better than I even would, I just wish there was something I could do for him. Even now the pain doesn't leave his face, just how bad is it? Somehow I don't think he'd tell me even if he were dying of internal injuries. He'd just keep going until he dropped.'_

That just made it that much more important that she looked after him since he wouldn't do it himself. Ever so slowly, she scooted closer to him and draped the blanket she'd been holding over them both. Fortunately, it was large enough to cover them adequately without her having to climb in his lap. To do so would put unneeded pressure on his ribs and would wake him up, something she sought to avoid if at all possible. However, aside from the brief shifting, he didn't even seem to notice what she'd done.

The added body heat that her companion was giving off did much to ward off the chill that had been seeping into her body from sitting on the cold, stone floor. In spite of her vow to stay awake however, she found herself drifting off to sleep and more than once she jerked herself awake. It was strange since she hadn't been tired before and it took a moment for her to realize just what was happening. The smallest of smiles crossed her face when she felt the overall feeling of contentedness radiating through the bond. It was a rather strange feeling, but one she wasn't going to take offense at. Eventually, though, she lost the battle to remain awake and her head found a comfortable position resting on his shoulder.

Sometime later Tres awoke to the feel of someone warm pressing into his side with a contented sigh. For a moment he didn't move, choosing instead to stare at the miko with a slightly surprised expression. The last thing he was expecting was to find her snuggling against him, but he made no move to push her away. Tentatively, he draped his arm over her, being careful not to jar her in the process and just sat there, savoring the new sensation. While he wasn't exactly a stranger to physical contact, this was something more and he found himself enjoying it.

And since he had no desire to disturb her, Tres took full advantage of the opportunity she'd given him. Having her in his arms just felt right for some reason, even if the circumstances were less than optimal. Carefully, he shifted to bring her closer to him, but stopped when she made a sleepy noise of protest and asked him not to leave. Leave? Hell, he wasn't going anywhere at that particular moment.

Yet, their quiet time together wasn't meant to last and the sound of something sliding along the rocks had Tres peering through the darkness. The sound was faint over the sound of the water, but he was certain that he'd heard it even if he couldn't identify the source just yet. "Kagome," he whispered and shook her gently to get her to wake up. The last thing he wanted to do was attempt to defend them from such a vulnerable position.

"What's going on?" Kagome mumbled and tried to get her bearings. The first thing that she noticed was that she wasn't in the same position that she'd fallen asleep in and, at first, assumed that he was waking her up to tell her to move. "I'm sorry, I didn't..." she trailed off when she saw that he wasn't paying any attention to her what so ever. Instead he was staring off to their left and his hand was hovering dangerously close to his gun. "Is it the others?" she asked and tried to see into the darkness herself, but her vision just wasn't suited for seeing in the dark.

"Negative," he replied shortly and nudged her to get moving. Although it was difficult to conceal the pain he was in, he managed to get to his feet and draw his second weapon. He was pleased to note that Kagome positioned herself behind him so that she would be out of the line of fire and as the seconds passed, he became more and more convinced that was exactly what was going to happen. The sounds were becoming louder and more frequent, leading him to believe that whatever was approaching was doing it en mass.

It was the faintest glint of light that drew Kagome's attention onto one of the creatures and a shudder wracked her body. "My God they're ugly," she whispered as she studied what she could make out of their features. Clearly they were demons, some sort of reptile as best as she could figure. Their faces were elongated into snouts and they had unblinking yellow eyes. As best as she could tell, the only thing that remotely resembled a human was the fact that they stood upright on two legs. Even their limbs were elongated with bony fingers ending in wickedly curved claws.

The laser sighting on the gun landed squarely in the middle of the first beast's forehead and he waited for the demon to come just a little bit closer. Just ahead the tunnel narrowed and where it was standing it would be entirely too easy for it to duck behind the wall. No, he wanted a clear shot and he was willing to wait for it. For now he was content to stand there, although the miko was probably wondering what he was waiting on. Even now he could feel her hands fisting in the material of his jacket.

_'What's he waiting for?' _Kagome thought while trying to remain as still as possible. She didn't want to take a chance in distracting him. It also seemed to be the trigger for the demons to rush towards them and the first round of gun fire had her shielding her ears from the noise. It seemed to have no effect on the demons though, confirming her thoughts that they were snakes which brought in an additional fear. Don't let them get close enough to bite," she called out to her guardian, "they're probably poisonous."

The warning was appreciated, but unnecessary because he had absolutely no intention of allowing them to get that close. The sounds filling the cavern were deafening and for a moment he considered silencing his weapons. However, he knew that the noise was also likely to attract the others above ground. That also provided another benefit although it was one he hadn't thought of. When the miko had released him in favor of shielding her ears, it left them with absolutely no physical contact what so ever. Even in this light, he could see the purification energy encasing the bullets he fired and it was with great satisfaction that he watched two demons explode in a shower of ash.

"It's working," Kagome gasped out in surprise when he took out another pair and then a third soon followed. The fact stunned her since she wasn't actively concentrating on the channel. Instead, she felt the need to protect surging through the bond and the steady pull that he was exerting on her energy. _'If I can feel this, Father Nightroad might be able to as well!' _That would certainly account for the surge of worry that pulsed through her very core and somehow she was certain that particular emotion wasn't coming from Tres. All she could feel from him was the grim determination to do whatever was necessary to keep them both alive.

Several of the beasts were melting back into the shadows and it wasn't long before Tres could no longer target them with any accuracy. Rather than waste the ammunition he stopped and waited, knowing that sooner or later they'd make a try for them again. The idea that they'd retreated for good was foolish since he could hear their faint movements again, even if they were indecisive.

"They seem to have given up for the moment," Kagome whispered and allowed herself to relax for a few precious seconds. Despite the fact that none of them had managed to get close, it still shook her to the core that they were essentially trapped with a swarm of demons and there was no way for them to escape without fighting through them.

"Stay alert,"Tres warned her and took a step backwards, taking her with him. The hope was to lure the demons out by feigning a retreat; however, it didn't appear that they were going to take the bait. It left him to wonder just how long they were going to have to wait. _'It's probable they've realized that at least one of us is injured and they're maximizing their chances of success waiting until our strength gives out. However, I will not allow that to happen.'_

Small pebbles rained down from above and within moments she heard voices. "Inuyasha? Is that you?" she called up, hoping that the others had finally found them. _'It would make sense if it was; I think the noise down here was enough to wake the damned dead. Why didn't I think of that before?' _

"Kagome?"

The faint voice had her ready to cheer although for the moment she refrained. Even Tres looked to be relieved although he hadn't taken his eyes off of the area the snake demons had come from, not that she blamed him really. "Inuyasha, we're down here. Can you find us a way out?"

Above ground Inuyasha was scanning the surrounding area carefully, looking for any type of cave or opening that might indicate a way to get down to them. At first he'd been all set to blast his way down with the Tetsusaiga, but Abel had cautioned him against doing such a thing. They had no idea how unstable the tunnel was that they were in. "I don't see anything nearby, Kagome, what sort of tunnel are you in anyway?" he asked, frustrated with the situation. He had no idea whether or not they were just in an expanded sink hole or perhaps an empty lava tube from one of the island's volcanoes.

"It's an underground river! Look around and see if there's a water source nearby, it'll probably be the same one," she advised, knowing that if there was water anywhere nearby Inuyasha would be the one to find it. "And try to hurry," she added, "we've got company down here and they aren't exactly friendly you know!"

Before the hanyou had a chance to answer; however, the snake demons launched another wave of attacks. Kagome watched as Tres eliminated two of them quickly, wasting no time in taking them out. With her attention so focused on what he was doing, she never noticed the snake demon that had submerged himself in the river and moved far enough upstream that by the time it had pulled itself onto the bank, it was behind them. Kagome sensed the demonic presence behind them and turned just in time to avoid the outstretched claws that had meant to rip through her throat. "Tres look out!" she shouted, warning the redhead of the added danger that they were in.

Cursing beneath his breath, Tres spun around to take the demon out and fired. However, he hadn't had time to nail a perfect aim so it was no surprise when the beast darted out of the way. The miko had also hit the ground, trying to make herself as small of a target as possible, but her cry of pain surprised him. He knew that he hadn't hit her so the only other possibility was that the demon had been responsible. _ 'I have to end this fast before the others take advantage of the situation.'_

"Dammit!" Inuyasha cursed when he heard Kagome cry out and leapt into a nearby tree. If nothing else, the increased height would give him the added advantage of being able to see further. They had to get down there to find out what the hell was going on. What he hadn't counted on was seeing Abel in his Crusnik form. The man looked positively demonic and the way his eyes were tinged with red it seemed he was only seconds from going into a blood rage. _'Fuck, he's going to lose it fast. We've got to find them!'_

However, the Gods seemed to be on their side and in the distance he could see the reflective glint of water. "Over there!" he yelled and took off at a sprint for the river with Abel hard on his heels. _'Sango and Miroku will have to keep up as best as they can. We can't afford to wait for them.'_

As for Father Nightroad, he was fighting a losing battle just to remain in control of his own emotions. Deep within his soul, the bond shared between them pulsed, enhancing the pain and fear that Kagome was experiencing, as well as the deep rooted anger that had taken over his partner. It was rare that he came so close to losing control and, when it did, it almost always came with disastrous results; however, this was one instance that he was ready to kill and deal with the consequences of his actions later. The scenery blurred by as he ran, easily keeping pace with the hanyou, but their paths didn't run parallel for long. Instead, there was a pull on his soul and using that knowledge along with the direction that the river was leading, he detoured to the right trusting in his instincts to guide him where he needed to be.

"Where in the hell are you going?" Inuyasha yelled when the Crusnik veered sharply away from him. However, he didn't wonder for long since the realization of just what Abel was doing came to him. _'Of course! He's using the bond to lead him to her.' _As soon as he'd figured that out he altered his own course and followed the taller man. When the priest stopped in front of a cliff that was heavily covered in vegetation, he almost worried that they were going to be forced to take a swim; however, that thought was quickly banished as well.

Irritated by the obstruction, Abel quickly cut through the vegetation to reveal a rather large opening into the side of the cliff. Without waiting to see if the others were following, he rushed down the dark corridor, searching for any sign of Kagome and Tres. He knew that they were going in the right direction, the sound of gun fire echoing up and down the cavern told him that much. However, caution needed to be heeded since he was about to rush headlong into the fight, making himself as much of a target as any of the others. "Tres, status report!" he shouted, his voice raspy with emotion. He could only hope that his friend could hear him over the deafening sounds echoing through the cave.

When no answer came, Inuyasha began to fear the worst. "Kagome," he shouted, hoping to get some sort of answer from the miko. She couldn't be dead, if she were then Abel would have said something since he would have felt the severing of the bond. The only thing he could assume was that Kagome had been seriously injured and it was taking all of the redhead's concentration to keep the demons from getting to her. "Dammit, we need to get back there!"

Suddenly the sounds of battle died down, but neither of them relaxed an inch. It could be a momentary lull or the enemy could be making a swift retreat, in which instance they'd cut the demons down without remorse.

"Gunslinger, status report now!" Father Nightroad barked again, holding his scythe ready just in case it was necessary in order to cut through those that stood between him and his companions. The sound of heavy footsteps began and steadily came closer.

"Targets eliminated, medical assistance required, Father Nightroad," Tres replied wearily as soon as the man came into view. Pain seared through his body; however, he wasn't about to relinquish his hold on Kagome in spite of her protests.

"Tres, put me down! I can still walk, you shouldn't be carrying me," Kagome protested loudly although she didn't struggle in his hold for fear that she might injure him worse than he already was. As gallant as her protector was being at the moment, she was of the firm opinion that he damned sure shouldn't be carrying her at the moment. _'Knowing my luck he'd puncture something with those broken ribs and we are not equipped to handle something like that!'_ But there was no arguing with him. Not when the snake demon had scored a hit on her with his claws and ripped four deep gashes into her calf. However, that shouldn't have prevented her from walking, even if the redhead thought otherwise. _'What did I expect though? Inuyasha would have been doing the same damned thing, maybe they're more alike than I first thought.'_

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled and began running towards the pair, determined to find out just how badly she was hurt, but the look of indignation on her face stopped him.

"Don't worry about me, worry about him! He's the one that's hurt," she huffed. _'Honestly, you probably can't even tell I'm injured since its dark and my pant leg covers the damned cuts anyway. Tres is the one that looks like he's been put through hell!'_ Before she knew it, Father Nightroad had reached them and was taking her out of Tres' grip. _'Men, I swear I'm going to kick all three of them in the ass as soon as I get put down. I'm not helpless!' _However, she did little more than grumble as they did the exchange simply because if the Crusnik was holding onto her it meant that Tres was not.

Inuyasha watched the transfer and nearly rolled his eyes. He could have just as easily taken her and she probably wouldn't be glaring daggers at them right then. _'I swear these two can't see what's right in front of their damned faces. Scratch that, Kagome's worse. She doesn't even know why they're fussing over her.'_ Yet, he knew there had to be a reason and, while the redhead's blood hung heavier in the air, he could tell that Kagome was bleeding as well.

"How bad is it, Kagome?" he asked, leaning in to get a good look at her. Immediately, his hand went to her leg and pushed the material up so he could get a view of the wound, "This needs cleaning. We should find some place to make camp."

"I think my entire body could do with a good scrubbing, I didn't expect half a mountain of mud to come down on our heads," Kagome groused and then looked around, "Where's the others?"

"They'll be here soon I imagine, we kinda... left them behind when we heard you both were in trouble," Father Nightroad replied and gave Tres a good once over. The man looked like hell and he knew that the miko hadn't asked about the others out of mere curiosity. She wanted Kirara there so the redhead wouldn't have to walk any further. "What are your injuries, Tres?" he asked, figuring he'd rather learn what he was going to be treating now rather than later.

"Minor head trauma, broken ribs and a leg injury, all treated, but the bandages must be changed soon," he replied curtly and then proceeded to walk past them, leaving the others to follow as they wished. He was tired, dirty, and more than ready to get out of the cavern. Talk could come later, after they'd gotten cleaned up.

For a moment the Crusnik stared at his partner's retreating back and then shook his head, dismissing the irritated answer he'd received. "Do we have any idea how far away a good campsite is?" Father Nightroad asked while allowing his Crusnik form to dissipate. Now that the threat had passed, he saw no reason to maintain it and even if there were, he wouldn't be able to fight so long as his arms were occupied.

"Not too far," Inuyasha said after a moment's thought, "we should be able to get there within fifteen minutes at a walk." While they'd been searching for the river, he'd spotted an area that had a thick mist rising from the trees, a sure sign of a hot spring nearby. "There's even a spot that they can use to get washed up."

"Oh good, I need a hot bath," Kagome said in response, thrilled with the idea that she could get cleaned sometime shortly.

It only took a few moments for them to catch up to Tres and shortly after they stepped back into the sunlight. Almost as, if on cue, they all saw Kirara approaching quickly with Sango, Miroku, and Shippo on her back. To all involved, that was probably the biggest blessing they could have received at that moment because as soon as the fire cat touched down, Inuyasha took charge.

"Sango, I need you to take Kagome and Tres to a hot spring that's just a few minutes away. It's to the east so you can't miss it," he said and jerked his head towards Father Nightroad in a clear order to set the girl on Kirara's back.

"Of course, how bad is it?" Sango asked, not in the least perturbed by the order she'd been given. Both of her friends looked like they'd been drug through hell face first and she wasn't about to protest taking them somewhere that they could get cleaned up. The others could walk; it wouldn't take long for them to arrive.

"Bad enough," Inuyasha replied, seeing no need to give the woman a rundown. She'd find out on her own soon enough, what mattered was getting the two of them to the spring as soon as possible so their injuries could be assessed and treated properly.

Father Nightroad carried Kagome over to the fire cat and gently placed her on the animal's back, making sure that she had her balance before he let go. "Hold on, we don't need you falling any more today," he said with the slightest of smiles.

"Yeah, once was enough," Kagome replied and wrapped her arms around Sango's waist just to make sure that she didn't fall. Briefly, she wondered whether or not Tres was going to be able to get on behind her, but the question was soon answered when he mounted with a minimum of difficulty.

"All right, hold on you two," Sango advised and then urged Kirara to take to the air. Within moments, the others were left behind and they were making their way to the hot springs that Inuyasha had mentioned. It wasn't hard to find since they'd noticed it on the way towards the cave entrance and she was grateful for noting exactly where it was.

Even though there was little fear of them falling, Kagome was beyond grateful when Kirara finally touched down on the ground again and even more so when it happened to be right next to the hot springs. "Thanks for the lift you guys. Walking all the way here would have sucked," Kagome said and slid from the fire cat's back. As expected, putting weight on her leg hurt like a bitch; however, she wasn't going to ask either of these two to carry her around either.

Sango watched Tres slide off as well and immediately begin heading for the far end of the hot springs, clearly intending on getting into the water whether he had someone to assist him in undressing or not. "I know you want to take a bath now," Sango said, glancing at the retreating priest before looking back to Kagome, "but I'll need to go back and grab the pack with your clothes and bathing supplies. We kinda dropped them as soon as we heard the gunfire. It shouldn't take long though."

"That's fine," Kagome said wearily, "I can soak until then."

The look of mortification that crossed Sango's face was enough to give Kagome pause until she realized just what it was for. Clearly, the woman wasn't too keen on the idea of her stripping down naked and using the same hot spring that Tres was about to climb into. However, what modesty she had was about to fly out the window with the prospect of getting the mud off of herself so appealingly close.

"I'll be fine, Sango," Kagome said in hopes of reassuring the other woman. She kept forgetting that Sango was still accustomed to the Kagome that would blush if someone commented on how short her 'kimono' was. That Kagome had grown up a long time ago, even if her friend still hadn't quite realized that fact.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait?" Sango asked uncertainly. While she trusted Father Tres, there were certain lines of decency that should be adhered to. And while she'd noticed the interest the man showed Kagome, it was far from the commitment that should be given in order for bathing together to be considered acceptable.

"I'm positive, I feel like I'm carrying half the dirt in Japan on me right now. Besides, it's not like he's going to jump me. He's a priest after all," Kagome replied and then, on a moment's, reflection realized that might not have been a convincing addition. After all, Miroku was supposed to be a holy man and his perversion knew no bounds.

"Alright, well I'll hurry and get the pack. Once I get back I'll help you if you need it," Sango said with a sigh. It was obvious that the miko wasn't going to reconsider her decision, but it wasn't her place to berate the girl on it either. The best that she could do was to hurry and get the pack so she could stand guard. Once the others arrived, she wouldn't put it past Miroku to try spying on the girl.

Eager to get in the water, Kagome waved her off and began hobbling towards the edge of the hot spring. The steam hung heavy in the air, lending the area an additional sense of privacy, allowing her to forget for a moment that she wasn't the only one there. After all, it wasn't like she could see the redhead, for that matter she couldn't even hear him.

Spotting a rather large boulder on the edge of the spring several yards away, she made her way over towards it. Once she was settled against the large rock, she toed her shoes off and set to work on removing her clothing. The shirt came off first, quickly followed by her pants and undergarments. She looked down at the fallen clothing with a forlorn glance and sighed, "I guess there really won't be much hope of saving these."

Cautiously, she advanced towards the water since she was unsure what the footing would be once she got in and, with one bad leg, it increased her chances of falling. To her relief though, her foot encountered nothing but soft sand. However, the water temperature was slightly warmer than she was accustomed to and she hissed with the discomfort when it came into contact with her abused flesh. "Damn that's hot!" she hissed, although, she didn't make any attempt to get out. While it might be slightly uncomfortable, being muddy was worse. _'I'm going to look like a boiled lobster when I get out. Oh well, it's better than being dunked in freezing water.'_

From only a couple of feet away, Tres watched her advance into the water, her steps small and uncertain. Even from here, he could see the way her legs trembled with the effort and it was tempting to go and help her. However, he wasn't all together certain how she would take the suggestion. Picking her up while clothed was one thing, but naked was quite another. Briefly, he wondered why she'd come all the way over to where he was before he dismissed it as relatively unimportant. It wasn't as though he'd crept up on her while she was getting undressed. After seeing her stumble and hearing the muffled curse she uttered, he finally decided to speak up.

"Do you require assistance?" he asked and kept a careful eye on her just in case she managed to panic and fall in the process.

It was only the fact that she recognized that voice that kept her from freaking out and screaming for help. Instead, she looked around, scanning the area for the priest and was rather surprised to see him up to his waist in water not more than two feet away.

"You know, the polite thing would have been to let me know you were there," Kagome said peevishly and crossed her arms over her chest before realizing that wasn't going to make a difference. Not when she was only knee deep in water and not wearing anything at all below the waist.

"Does it really make a difference?" Tres asked curiously and to his credit managed to keep his eyes from moving off of her face. There had been one other instance where he'd seen her nude and it hadn't made much of a difference then, so why should it matter now?

Thinking about it for a moment, Kagome realized that he was right. He'd seen her naked before at least once that she could think of and she'd be willing to bet that there had been others. After all, each time she left the camp in order to change or find the little girl's bush he trailed after her, although he generally kept a respectful distance. Inuyasha of course had taken offense to the very idea and protested rather loudly, but then for some reason all objections just seemed to... vanish. It was rather odd to say the least and she wasn't quite sure what to make of his changed behavior.

"I guess not," she managed to say at last and proceeded deeper into the water to sit down a few inches away from him. "It's not important enough for me to try moving to the other side of the lake and if you get any chivalrous thoughts about moving, I'll make sure you don't." Of course, she didn't voice just how she planned on doing that one because she didn't know herself, but it seemed to keep him from doing just that.

The corners of his lips quirked upwards in amusement, "It would be amusing to see what method you would employ in order to restrain me." Oh, he had no doubts that she would attempt something; it was just a question of what it would be. Given his previous experiences with her, and the tales that she, along with the others, had to tell, he could just imagine her thinking she was strong enough to do so.

"Oh shit," Kagome gasped, casting her gaze skywards and looking around frantically.

Tres immediately tensed and began scanning the area for whatever possible threat it was that she could be sensing. "Report, Kagome," he ordered and began reaching behind him for one of his guns.

"The world must be ending," Kagome said and then began to laugh at his irritated expression, "Now I know you're spending too much time around Miroku, you're turning into a pervert. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a prerequisite for holy men and now, I don't think I'm going to be able to look at you or Father Nightroad the same way again."

"This from the woman who keeps going out of her way to fall on top of me," Tres retorted and then smirked at the look of indignation that crossed her face.

"Hey! The first time was your fault," Kagome protested vehemently, "you're the one who kept trying to pick me up! Admit it; you're the one who can't keep your hands off of me, not the other way around."

"My, my, and here I thought that you were going to need help, Tres," Father Nightroad said, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably while keeping his eyes carefully averted so that he didn't see anything he wasn't supposed to. Really, it wasn't all that odd that the both of them would choose to wash up at the same time since the spring was so big, but the last thing he'd expected was to find them seated so close to each other. "I guess... this means you have everything under control then, I'll be on my way. Here's some towels and your clothing for when you're finished," he said and set them down on a rock nearby, "just try not to take too long and be careful of your wounds. Okay?"

Kagome stared up at the silver haired male for several long moments and shook her head. The tone of his voice had let her know exactly what he'd meant by 'be careful of your wounds' and it damned sure wasn't in washing them. The added blush on his face as he waited for a response just confirmed it. Rolling her eyes, she looked over at Tres, "See what I mean? Here I was thinking that there was some sort of requirement for pure thoughts and celibacy, but obviously I was wrong. You're all perverts, including Father Nightroad and somehow I've found myself at the center of it all."

"I am not a pervert! It's you two that are... are..." Father Nightroad began and trailed off when he realized that he'd turned around to speak to the girl. When realization came to him that he was staring at the faint image of her body that lurked beneath the surface of the water, he yanked his eyes back up to her face and cleared his throat. "I am not a pervert," he said even though after that indiscretion it felt like he was lying, "And that requirement is rather archaic and was banished shortly after the Great War. There just weren't enough people left to continue forcing God's followers to adhere to it. As such, I'll leave the two of you alone to finish up whatever it is you're planning to do."

Father Nightroad could see the faint spark of amusement in his partner's eyes and that had him hurrying off before either of them could say anything. However, he wasn't so foolish as to believe that the situation wasn't going to bring added complications. How would Inuyasha react to hearing that the two of them had bathed together? And, no doubt, once Miroku found out about it there would be no end to the not so innocent remarks that could set the flame to any unstable tempers. _'Oh dear lord, what is this going to mean for the rest of us?'_

Truthfully, though, he wasn't sure that he wanted to know. Dealing with the others was one thing, but what about his own emotions? To say he felt nothing for the girl would be a complete lie and, for the first time, he was regretting the fact that he'd agreed to strengthen the bond. It hadn't helped matters that he liked her as a person before it had been done and now, the bond was twisting that emotion into something more; something that he wasn't prepared to deal with; especially not when the signs all pointed to the fact that Tres had an interest in her as well. _'Perhaps one even larger than my own. I cannot allow my own feelings to interfere with that.'_

But would he be able to prevent it? Now more than ever he wished that he had Caterina here to speak with, for if nothing else, she was always willing to listen and offer advice if she could. Unfortunately though, she wouldn't be born for centuries and the issues he was dealing with now wouldn't wait that long. In the end, he knew that he'd be forced to confront it without her council and this was a problem he couldn't really see discussing with one of the others, despite how tempting it was. _ 'How troublesome. Forewarning might have been nice; however, I doubt even Miroku knew that this could become a problem.'_

While he walked, he allowed his mind to wander down that particular path in an effort to find a way to ignore what he was feeling. It was obvious that he couldn't get rid of it, but if he could channel the affection into something of a brotherly nature, would that eliminate the problems it posed? The problem continued to weigh heavily on his mind, so much so that he hadn't even realized he'd made it back to where he'd left Inuyasha and the others.

"Oi, Abel, you might wanna stop walking unless you plan on traipsing across the forest for the rest of the day," Inuyasha said, jerking the priest out of his thoughts abruptly. It wasn't hard to guess just what was on the man's mind either. The resignation on the other male's face said it all, without even saying a word.

"Oh, I seemed to have gotten lost in thought. Sorry about that," Father Nightroad said with a slight laugh of embarrassment. It was just like him to be so caught up in his own thoughts and completely lose track of where he was at the present time.

"Yeah, yeah, did you give them their clothes?" Inuyasha asked, brushing off the other man's apology. There'd been many nights where he'd been caught up in similar thoughts, but it had been him torn between two women and in the end, he'd lost them both. While the situations weren't the same, he could still sympathize to a certain extent. However, that sympathy only went so far and he wasn't going to allow the priest to do something stupid, like walk directly through the camp fire that Miroku had started a few minutes before Abel had arrived.

"Oh, yes, of course I did," Father Nightroad replied quickly and then looked around the make shift campsite to see if there was anything that he needed to do to help out. However, to his surprise the others had managed to set things up rather rapidly and while it wasn't the best of jobs, it would certainly suffice. Obviously, they had been more worried about getting things ready so that Kagome and his partner could be comfortable while having their wounds treated. Everything else had been left to be tended to later.

Sango leaned back against a nearby tree and crossed her arms. "I'm still not sure why you stopped me from taking the stuff to them. Kagome was expecting me after all," she said, giving a slightly irritated look at Inuyasha, "It just doesn't make sense. Why are you letting any male near Kagome while she bathes? I would have thought you'd have been the first one to storm down there to keep her away from Tres."

"You said it yourself, Kagome didn't have a problem with sharing the spring with him so why should I?" Inuyasha asked with a shrug of his shoulders. Perhaps if it had been the same girl that had left them the day they'd made the wish he'd have stepped in. But he had long ago realized that Kagome was more than experienced enough to make her own choices now and it was time the others realized it as well.

"But," Sango stammered, "It's not proper and she's injured..." Her voice trailed off slowly when she saw the look that the hanyou was directing her way. _'What the hell am I missing here?'_

"Oh, give me a break, Sango," Inuyasha said and then leapt up onto a low tree branch that was directly overhead. Sighing heavily, he peered down at the woman, "You can't possibly think that he's in any condition to take advantage of her and I doubt that she'd object even if he did. Am I the only one here who can see what the hell is going on?"

"On the contrary, Inuyasha. I've been watching the two of them as well and I thought it had been fairly obvious," Miroku said with a slight grin, "It is a pity that he's so injured; it would have been a good time for them to explore the depths of the bond that is drawing them closer." Of course, immediately after saying that, he had to duck out of the way from the blow that Sango had aimed at him.

"If it's the bond that's doing this, hasn't it occurred to any of you idiots that it's manipulating their thoughts and feelings? How can you even sit by and watch Kagome get involved with someone who probably wouldn't interest her if it wasn't for something that shouldn't have been done in the first place?" Sango asked angrily, disgusted with the whole idea. Didn't it bother them to know that the girl they'd been friends with for so many years was being taken advantage of by a force beyond their control?

"Don't be stupid. Kagome isn't going to do anything she doesn't want to," Inuyasha snapped at the exterminator before she could continue on her tirade. He hadn't been in favor of the bond thing in the first place, but it had been Midoriko that had put it in place. Miroku had merely strengthened it and he'd talked to the monk more than once about the dangers that the move had presented. As far as he was concerned, the matter was out of their hands and it would be stupid to continue the discussion any further.

With a sigh, Miroku nodded his head in agreement, "Indeed, Inuyasha is right. The bond is merely a channel for the emotions that are present and it allows them to feel what the other two are feeling on a deeper level than we can sense. You must realize that there are many emotions that can form over time. Hate being one of them. If Kagome or Tres didn't like the other person in the first place, there would be little to no attraction between them. I daresay it would make them both extremely uncomfortable; however, given the strength in which they would experience the emotion."

"It still doesn't seem right," Sango protested, "Just because the bond is there doesn't mean that you should ignore what's going on either, Inuyasha. I think if nothing else, you should be more concerned and continue looking over her since she might not be able to do it for herself."

"I'm not ignoring what's going on. Who the hell do you think it was that told him to shit or get off the pot? He's been looking at her all doe eyed since before I took him back to Kagome's time and he needed a damned kick in the ass to make up his mind. Do you think I'm really going to march down there and tell him to back off now?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. Oh, he could just imagine the miko's reaction then, especially since she seemed to be interested in the redhead as well. He didn't have a death wish and it sure as hell wasn't his business to tell her to stop, he'd screwed up his own life enough without mucking around with hers.

That seemed to shut the woman up for a moment and Inuyasha wasn't about to let the moment of silence go to waste. His expression hardened and he turned to look at Father Nightroad, "And you! Do I need to give you a kick in the ass as well? You're even more annoying than he was. The worst we had to deal with your partner was him following her around like a shadow. You, on the other hand, are going to get yourself and someone else killed if you can't clear your head and figure out what it is you're doing."

The outburst stunned Father Nightroad, but not for long. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said and laughed uneasily, trying to brush the hanyou's words off as unimportant. The man couldn't possibly have figured out that he was experiencing feelings towards the miko as well. He'd been far more careful in his appraisal of the girl, hadn't he?

"Don't hand me that crap. You might be able to hide it from the others, but you can't hide it from me and if Kagome weren't so damned oblivious, she'd have noticed by now too. I'm guessing that she's focusing more on your partner since he's not being a chicken shit about it. I want to know what you plan on doing about it," Inuyasha said firmly, leaving the Crusnik no escape from the question. Kagome was too important for him to allow this guy to half ass things.

The insinuation that he was running away from the problem had Father Nightroad bristling in anger. "I assure you that you are dead wrong in your assumptions. There is nothing for me to do and as such, it would be appreciated if you dropped this line of thought," he stated coldly, clearly signaling that the conversation was over as far as he was concerned. What he chose to do about the situation was no one's business but his own and while the hanyou meant well, his interference was not appreciated, nor would it be tolerated.

"You'd better be right, priest," Inuyasha stated flatly, and crossed his arms, "cause if there's one thing I do know, it's that bonds like this just don't go away. You damned sure ain't a demon, but it's not like you're a human either, not by a long shot. If you think it's bad now, just wait until those instincts of yours kick in. One way or another they'll have to be dealt with and either you're going to do it, or I will. I won't let you hurt her." The threat hung heavily in the air and for the longest moment Inuyasha wondered if it was going to come down to a fight right then. He could see the anger lurking in the other man's eyes and he knew that the priest hadn't taken kindly to his words. But that wasn't his problem, Kagome was. So he didn't really give a damn one way or another of what the priest thought of what he had said as long as it led to a resolution.

Before anyone could do anything more than stare at the hanyou in surprise, Kagome limped into camp with a look of confusion on her face. "What's going on here?" she asked quietly even though she'd heard the tail end of the conversation. It was surprising that Inuyasha hadn't sensed her approach, but she had decided to attribute that to the fact that he was so involved with the conversation at hand.

"Ah, Kagome, you shouldn't be walking unassisted, please sit down," Father Nightroad instructed her, his voice laced with worry. It took a great effort to keep the irritation he was feeling towards Inuyasha from reaching her, but somehow he managed. He wasn't sure just how much she'd heard; however, he wasn't going to come out and ask her either. If she were willing to feign ignorance, than he would be only too happy to participate in the charade as well.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly as she moved to sit down in the spot he'd indicated that was next to him.

It wouldn't be long before Tres returned from the spring and she considered it a stroke of luck that she'd even managed to reach camp before him in the first place. It had only been the fact that he'd been in the process of dressing that had allowed her to get out of being carried again and there was little doubt in her mind that he'd be rather irritated that she'd returned to camp without him.

"Where's Tres?" Sango asked curiously and moved to the girl's other side just before giving Father Nightroad a look of warning to back off. After that little pissing contest that she'd witnessed between him and Inuyasha, she wasn't about to leave treating the miko to either of them. _'I sure hope Inuyasha knows what the hell he's doing.'_

"He'll be along in just a few minutes," Kagome said and steeled herself against the pain that she knew was coming. Fortunately, Father Nightroad had been considerate enough to leave her a pair of shorts to wear instead of having to deal with another pair of pants that would invariably chafe against the wound on her leg. As expected, the tentative probing that Sango was doing had her hissing in pain, but, to her credit, she didn't jerk her leg away. Instinctively, her hands fisted and her knuckles turned white as her fingernails dug into her palms. _ 'Damn, this hurts worse than I had thought it would. It'd be nice if I could heal as fast as a demon would.'_

"I'm surprised you were able to come back without him." Sango muttered beneath her breath and examined the wound closely. To her relief, it wasn't so deep that it needed stitching up; however, much more and the tendons would have been severed.

"Believe me, it wasn't that easy," Kagome replied dryly just as the redhead in question walked into camp. She ducked her head in order to avoid the irritated look that he threw her direction. There was no way in hell she was going to apologize, or accept the attempts to coddle her. Yes, she knew that a good portion of that stemmed from his vow to be the one to protect her, but sooner or later he was going to have to put his own welfare before hers.

"So how bad is it?" she asked instead, using the question to fill the silence that had descended over the group.

"It'll take a while to heal, but there won't be any permanent damage. You got lucky this time," Sango replied and began smearing the white cream that she'd pulled out of the first aid kit on the wounds. "It won't stop you from walking at any rate; it'll just be painful for a while."

"Nothing that a bit of Tylenol won't cure, in other words," Kagome said, her voice laced with relief. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about Inuyasha or Tres insisting that she needed to be carried around like a damned doll.

Inuyasha snorted, "You might be able to travel, but I don't think he's going to be able to." A jerk of his head indicated the other injured member of their party. He'd smelled the amount of blood coming from the redhead and he'd seen just how bad the man was limping when he'd made his way into the camp. They'd be stuck here for at least the next week, possibly two unless Kirara agreed to carry the man. As far as Kagome was concerned, he could carry her if need be.

"We'll probably want to find a village to stay at as soon as possible," Miroku advised before Tres could protest about his condition. "With the two of you injured, it would be unwise to stay on the road. Naraku could attack and we'd be at a severe disadvantage. We can't afford to take the chance." For all they knew, the demon could be watching them this very moment and biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. _'That would be exactly what I would do if I were in his place after all.'_

The idea was a sound one and Inuyasha nodded his approval, "We'll head out in the morning then. The village that Jinenji and his mother reside in is only a few hours away. With luck, he'll have some herbs that'll help the two of you out so we can get back on the road. We can't keep wasting time, Naraku ain't gonna take long to regenerate himself."

"I take it this Jinenji is a healer of a sort then?" Father Nightroad inquired of the hanyou while helping his partner sit on the sleeping roll that had been spread out upon the ground. In his opinion, it had been fortunate that the man hadn't bothered to put the shirt on and had carried it back with him instead. At least now he didn't have to instruct the redhead to remove it so he could get a good look at his ribs.

"You could say that," Miroku replied and moved to kneel next to the Crusnik. As far as he could ascertain, there were only two broken ribs even though the bruising made it appear as if his entire side had taken a beating. "Jinenji is very skilled in the ways of healing herbs and medicines; however, I'm unsure just how much use they'll be in this instance."

"They'll be better than nothing; otherwise, we should head back to Kaede's, cause you know sooner or later the bastard's going to show up. With the two of them hurt, we might as well paint a target on our backs," Inuyasha said callously and proceeded to ignore the twin looks of annoyance thrown his direction. He didn't see a reason to sugar coat the truth and even if he hadn't seen any of Naraku's spies, he was sure the demon was keeping an eye on their progress somehow. The bastard was like a vulture that would leap at any opportunity at taking a free shot at them. The longer they remained exposed like this, the more danger they'd be in.

"As much as I hate to say it, we might want to consider doing that anyway," Sango said reluctantly. No matter how good Jinenji's medicines were, he couldn't work miracles and neither Kagome nor Tres had a demon's healing abilities. Besides, it had been a while since they'd returned to the village and with each day that passed, she couldn't help but worry about her brother who had been left in Kaede's care. _'Despite the wish that Kagome made, what if Naraku targets him first since he's an easy target?'_ More than once she'd thought about bringing him along on the journey, but decided against it. He was still plagued by the thoughts of his time under Naraku's control and to ask him to come along would be forcing him to relieve those memories on a daily basis. No, it was best that he remained behind. It might be difficult for her, but she wanted the best for him and this was it.

"You greatly underestimate my fighting abilities if you think that something such as this will incapacitate me for any great length of time," Tres responded tersely. The worse part would be his leg which would be healed in a week's time, perhaps a few days more. For that they could find a nearby village and wait the time out. There was no reason to head all the way back to the village, as far as he was concerned, and he was going to be sure everyone knew his thoughts on the matter.

"We'll see if you feel that way when we start out in the morning," Inuyasha replied, unwilling to make a decision at the moment no matter what the redhead happened to think. Since Tres had never dealt with those types of injuries before, he had no way of being prepared for the hell he'd experience after having the chance to allow his muscles to stiffen up. If the priest could even move without groaning in pain when they were ready to head out in the morning, he was going to be surprised. _'Humans. They always seem to think they know everything.'_

When Tres looked ready to argue, Father Nightroad shook his head, "Let it go for now, Tres, he's right. We can't know how either you or Kagome will feel in the morning and there's a good chance that you'll need time to rest. Returning to the village will give us time to restock on supplies as well."

Carefully, he continued wrapping the gauze around his partner's chest, making sure that it was tight enough to provide support, but not so tight as to restrict his breathing. Whether they liked it or not, the injuries were a serious setback and it looked as if the hunt was going to have to be postponed, even if it was only for a couple of weeks.

In the end, Tres could only acquiesce to the decision that had been made, even if it didn't exactly sit well with him. However, his stand on the matter wavered if only slightly when he looked over at the miko. While he couldn't quite put his finger on it, something was off about the girl and for now, he was at a loss as to what it was. Eventually though, he was forced to give up and pass it off as just the stress of the day's events. In the morning, they'd both show the others they were perfectly able to travel, but until then he would merely bide his time and take the opportunity to relax as best as he could. Morning would come soon enough on its own no matter what he was worried about or not.

_**End Chapter Ten**_


	11. Chapter Eleven

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_The sound of mocking laughter reached her ears, forcing Kagome to open her eyes, but all she could see was the darkness that surrounded her. Had she lost track of time and the night of the new moon had come upon them? Frantically her mind worked, trying to determine if that was indeed the case and she tentatively stretched out a hand in front of her. _

_It was no surprise when it met nothing but air; however, the sound of that haunting laughter filled the air again, causing her to shudder violently. She knew that laughter better than anyone did and suddenly she was struck with an uncontrollable fear. "Inuyasha?" she called out, hoping that the hanyou was somewhere nearby and could come to her aid._

_Unfortunately there was no answer, nothing but that mocking laughter that taunted her with the cruel reality that she had somehow fallen into enemy hands again. "Inuyasha!" she screamed again and backed away, even though she couldn't see more than a couple of inches in any direction. "Tres? Father Nightroad? Please, someone answer me!"_

_Suddenly her back encountered something hard and she barely stifled the scream of fear that threatened to tear itself free from her throat. She only relaxed slightly when she realized she'd backed into a tree. The rough feel of the bark was somehow reassuring, telling her that she was at least still in the forest and not confined to some dark dungeon where even the light had been taken from her._

_Still, the feeling of wrongness wouldn't escape her and soon after, the faint, metallic scent of blood reached her, growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment. There was no denying that it was the cloying scent of blood, a sure sign of the death that had to be surrounding her. It was the only explanation she could come up with. Somehow, someway, Naraku had managed to kill her companions and he'd saved her for last. Why else wouldn't the others come when she called?_

_The urge to flee was becoming overwhelming even if she had no idea where she could go to escape her tormentor. It didn't matter though, anything was better than standing there waiting to be struck down by an unseen enemy. However, as soon as she took a step away from the tree, a fleshy appendage wrapped around her waist and pinned her in place making her scream again, even if there was no one to help her. _

"_Let me go!" she screamed and tried to pry the tentacle off of her body. Frantically, her nails dug into the flesh, peeling long gouges out of its surface, but still there was no hope for escape. Heat exploded all around her body and her eyes widened in horror with the knowledge of what was coming. _

"_No, please not again! Inuyasha! Tres! Please... " her voice came out in choked sobs as she struggled, but deep in her heart she knew that she was completely alone. There was no knight in shining armor that would come to rescue her this time. In the end, she would die alone, just as she had the first time. All she could do was wait and endure the searing pain that was only moments away. _

_The sound of tearing cloth filled the air and the feel of the cool night air caressing her flesh told Kagome that her shirt had been completely ripped down the front, leaving her to wonder just what else he planned to do in order to prolong her agony. The soft firelight surrounded her, illuminating the area, yet, she still couldn't pinpoint just where Naraku was. Yet, just because she couldn't see him didn't mean that he wasn't there and it filled her with anger. _

_A small flame bloomed directly in front of her, hovering in mid air before slowly moving closer. The moment it touched the sensitive flesh of her stomach a scream worked its way free from her chest, piercing the air that surrounded her. With agonizing slowness, it worked its way up her torso and across her breasts, leaving terrible burns in its wake. But before it could continue a path up her neck, the tentacle pinning her in place had been sliced cleanly through and Father Nightroad stood before her in Crusnik form._

"_Father... Nightroad," she whispered weakly and collapsed to the ground when her knees became too weak to hold her upright. Pain flared through her body with each movement she made, but it was dulled in the face of the fact that someone had come for her. "Thank you... for saving me."_

"_You're pathetic." _

_Kagome's eyes widened hearing the undisguised disgust coloring the priest's voice and she could do nothing but stare at him in shock. "What? Why would you..."_

"_Say that?" he asked, cutting her off abruptly, "Because it's true. How it is that you're supposed to be our savior I will never know. I should leave you here to die, if only to be rid of the burden that you present to us."_

_The harsh words made her flinch and briefly she wondered if he truly meant that, but then she shook her head vehemently, "That's not true! " _

"_Isn't it? How long are you going to hide behind others, relying on them to protect you?" he sneered down at her, "Even now you lay crouched on the ground, unable to even stand up on your own. How can you think that you're anything but an annoyance? You expect to be coddled and taken care of. Just how many times do you expect someone to save you?"_

Before she could retort to the angry words, cold water washed over her body like a stinging slap and she sat up with a gasp, the blanket she'd been clutching pooled in her lap.

"Take deep breaths, Kagome. It's alright now, you're safe," Father Nightroad said urgently and gripped her shoulders gently, keeping her from falling over backwards. She'd scared them half to death when she'd started screaming in her sleep and they'd been unable to wake her. In the end, Inuyasha had been forced to retrieve some water and they'd thrown it over the girl in a last ditch effort to pull her from the dream she'd been seemingly trapped in.

"Father Nightroad?" she asked uncertainly, unsure if he was real or just another part of the nightmare. She could feel the worry pouring off of him and Tres through the bond, yet the words that the priest had spoken continued to haunt her. Was that how he really felt? The very idea cut her deeply and the pain that came with it nearly matched the pain in her chest. Realization came to her quickly and she began to frantically pull at her wet shirt, trying to pull it off even though she was surrounded by the others.

"Dammit, Kagome, hold on," Inuyasha snapped and began sorting through the bag for a change of clothing for her. While there was no way that she could go back to sleep in those wet clothes, he didn't necessarily want a show either. Then again, he knew that she was likely to be delirious to begin with, he'd felt the searing heat radiating off of her body and when he'd moved closer, he could smell the sickness as well.

"You don't understand!" she shrieked and tugged at the shirt in spite of the hands attempting to restrain her. Buttons popped off haphazardly, scattering on the ground and the material parted. All attempts to restrain her stopped then, not because the others were enjoying the view, but because of the ugly burn marring her flesh. The sight of it had her breath coming in sharp pants and her vision dimmed, leaving her on the verge of passing out.

"You idiots, cover her up!" Inuyasha growled when he turned to see the others gawking, but when none of them made a move to do as he ordered, he moved to do it himself. Yet, the sight stopped even him, leaving him to stare in shock, "What the hell?"

Eventually, it was Sango who decided to take charge and she took the clothing from the hanyou's hand. "Father Nightroad, take her to my bedroll. We need to get her changed and that burn tended to," she ordered tersely. A few more moments of the boys seeing the girl unclothed wasn't going to make that much of a difference. Not when they needed to get the miko treated and there was a chance that there was danger nearby. She wasn't stupid enough to believe that this injury had somehow managed to escape their attention. Nor was there any chance that Kagome could have received it by normal means while laying in her bedroll.

Quickly, Abel did as he was told and picked the miko up as carefully as he could, ignoring the fact that his own clothes were getting wet in the process. At least she wasn't fighting anymore, but he wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. It could mean compliance because she knew that they were going to help her or, on the other hand, she could be going into shock. Truthfully, neither option would exactly surprise him any so it was best not to question it and just do what he could to help her.

The moment that the priest had laid Kagome upon the bedroll, Sango began stripping the girl's clothing off, leaving her only in her undergarments and then threw a blanket on top of her to keep her from getting a chill. Even now, the miko was shaking uncontrollably despite the scorching heat radiating off of her body. '_We'll deal with the dream in a few minutes. First things first, what's causing the fever?' _The immediate answer that sprang to mind was an infection and Sango moved to strip the bandages off of her friend's leg in order to check the wound.

As soon as the first layer of gauze came off, Inuyasha had to cover his nose to shield himself from the smell that slammed into him. "Dammit, didn't you use that salve that Kagome always has in her pack?" he asked, his voice thick with worry. Injuries were commonplace with the amount of travel that they did and the fights they encountered; however, they'd never had to deal with an infection like this. Kagome's medicines had always been able to ward off any such illnesses before, so why hadn't it done so this time?

"Of course I did," Sango snapped in irritation, barely sparing the hanyou a glance while continuing to unwrap the miko's leg. They were soaked through and the stench was overwhelming, yet, she continued on. The firelight did little to illuminate the immediate area, but it was more than enough for her to see that it was bad. Green pus oozed from the wound and she could see the dark streaks that ran through the fluid. To the uneducated, it would probably be passed off as blood; however, she knew better.

"Dammit," she swore and looked up at the worried faces that surrounded her, "Miroku, start some water boiling, we've got to get this cleaned out. Father Nightroad, grab another blanket for her. She's going to go into shock from the poison and infection if we're not careful."

When the two men moved to do as they were told, Inuyasha knelt beside the exterminator and examined the wound in Kagome's leg critically, "Are you positive its poison? Kagome said that the demon didn't bite her."

"It didn't have to," Sango replied and moved towards the miko's head to test her temperature. It was dangerously high and needed to be brought down quickly. "Shippo, get me a cold, wet rag please."

"Right," Shippo replied and rushed over to the pack that Kagome carried and fished out a rag. The water they'd collected for the night would be cool, but not enough for what Sango needed so instead, he ran towards Kirara. Immediately, she had changed to her larger form and carried him off towards the river.

Inuyasha watched the two of them disappear and then turned back to Sango, "What do you mean it didn't have to? The poison had to get there from somewhere." Not to mention, wouldn't he have smelled it on her in the first place? But then he realized that he'd been keeping his distance from her so as not to give anyone the wrong ideas. He'd already interfered more than enough in the relationship developing between the three and he didn't need any misunderstandings coming to pass.

"Just what I said, it didn't have to. There is more than one type of snake demon, Inuyasha. I was a fool for not checking the variety myself because I thought we were too far north to worry about it. Some varieties coat their claws with the poison they secrete in their saliva," Sango replied worriedly and moved just far enough back so that Father Nightroad could lay the second blanket over the miko. Once he was finished, she pulled it down far enough to expose the burn on the girl's chest.

"What would cause this?" Father Nightroad asked his brow furrowing as he examined the injury. Already the burn was an angry red and the skin was blistered along the length of her body. Fortunately, the blisters hadn't broken open yet and with luck they wouldn't. It was going to be difficult enough to heal them without the added risk of infection.

"I'm not sure," Sango muttered and looked over to Miroku to see how the water was coming, "Is it boiling yet?"

"It just started," the monk replied, "how long should I keep it over the fire?" Although he'd been taught many healing techniques, Kagome had brought quite a bit of knowledge with her. Where before, he would have just bathed the wound without any thought to the water, but now he knew that bacterium lived within the liquid and could complicate the problem if it wasn't boiled beforehand.

"Three minutes," Sango said, answering the question without having to give it much thought. Had the monk paid better attention to the conversations she'd had with Kagome, he might have known the answer to the question already. It would take a while for the water to cool enough to be able to be applied to the burn, so they'd deal with the wound on Kagome's leg first. However, washing them both wasn't going to take care of the poison, nor the pain, and they had nothing that would be sufficient for what was needed.

Another chill wracked Kagome's body and wearily she opened her eyes. "Inuyasha," she whispered, searching for her friend. She needed to make sure that he was alive and well, not dead like she'd feared in her dream.

"I'm here, Kagome," he replied automatically and grasped her hand to reassure her that he was there. While he wasn't normally one to go to such measures, he'd heard the way she'd screamed for him and the others while trapped in the dream. God only knew what had been happening in her mind while it had been going on and he never wanted to hear her sound so terrified again.

Kagome almost seemed to go limp with relief and she took a deep breath, trying to shrug off the fear that she'd felt earlier, "I was... so afraid. You were all dead." All except for Father Nightroad anyway and somehow she knew that hadn't been him. Naraku's laughter was too fresh in her memory to ever forget, he'd been the one to orchestrate the whole thing. She just knew it.

"Don't worry, Kagome. It was just a dream," Shippo said quietly and laid the wet cloth against her forehead. He and Kirara had moved as quick as they could, but it still felt like it had taken far too long. At least now though she was awake, even if it seemed like she was looking straight through him instead of at him.

The kitsune's words seemed to comfort Kagome enough that she was able to close her eyes again, but Sango knew that it would be an uneasy rest at best. They just weren't equipped to deal with these types of injuries and there was no way they could move Kagome as she was at the moment. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the others, "Someone's going to have to go for help. Cool water will sooth the burn, but it won't do anything for the infection or the poison in her blood. Someone is going to have to go to Jinenji for help."

"I'll go," Miroku said quietly and stood up. There was no way that either of the priests could go, Jinenji didn't know them and it would take too long for them to explain who they were. While the hanyou would be more than willing to help, he didn't want to take more time than absolutely necessary in order to get the things that Kagome needed.

"Thank you, Miroku," Sango said, giving him a small smile of appreciation, "Take Kirara with you, you'll get there faster." That was a large worry off of her mind since she knew Miroku would be able to explain exactly what had happened and get the necessary medical supplies. Jinenji would do anything to help Kagome out and with Miroku going to see him; he'd be back in no time.

The idea of the monk going off alone didn't sit well with Inuyasha however, not with Naraku lurking about. Without his wind tunnel, Miroku was no match for the demon and he'd be exceedingly easy to take out while being separated from the main group. While he had no desire to leave Kagome alone right now, someone had to go with Miroku. Tres was out of the question and likely Abel was as well considering the way he was hovering over the miko. Shippo would be virtually useless and Sango was needed here. In the end, he was the only choice. "Oi, monk. Wait up, I'll be going with you," he called to the other man's retreating back.

"Are you sure, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked while turning to look at the hanyou. He'd been expecting the man to remain behind to make sure that nothing else went wrong, although he wasn't about to complain if Inuyasha chose to come with him.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Inuyasha replied and fixed both Abel and Tres with a hard look, "I'm trusting the two of you to keep an eye on things while we're gone. Naraku's behind this, I just know it and there's a good chance that he'll attack while we're split up. I don't want to come back to find you in the middle of a fight so finish it fast if it happens, alright?" He knew that even though Tres was injured, he could still tap into Kagome's powers. That wasn't even factoring in Abel's abilities, which might well be able to take Naraku out so long as he hadn't managed to completely regenerate.

"Don't worry about us, just get there, and acquire the medicines she needs," Tres replied flatly. There was no need to tell them to look after Kagome, they would have done so regardless, and the hanyou should have realized that much by now. _'His fears are groundless, we would not allow Kagome to come to harm.'_

The flash of anger that Inuyasha saw in the redhead's eyes was more than enough to reassure him that the priest was taking it seriously. Even Abel had lost his normal expression of absent mindedness and was focusing on Kagome with an intensity he hadn't seen from the man before. It was almost as if... he was looking for something on a deeper level, perhaps through the bond that no one but him could see. At any rate, Inuyasha knew that he needed to get moving if they were going to arrive at Jinenji's house anytime soon. "We'll be back as soon as we can," he said at last and then nodded to Miroku who was already mounted on Kirara's back.

Tres watched the hanyou go and heaved a sigh. He'd almost volunteered to go himself, just to be able to do something useful, but something told him that he would be needed here. Even if nothing happened, he could feel the uncertainty coming from the girl that was radiating through the bond. While he wasn't sure what had prompted that sort of reaction, he wasn't going to allow it to continue to fester. Whatever she needed to quell those doubts, he was going to make sure that she had it.

It was only once the two men had vanished that Sango unsheathed one of her daggers and began examining the blade critically. In a way, she was thankful that the hanyou had volunteered to go since she knew what she would need to do next and Inuyasha screaming at her wasn't something she had wanted to listen to.

Father Nightroad watched the exterminator stand and make her way over to the fire. He didn't need to ask just what she was doing; he'd guessed it the moment she'd taken the knife out. With the amount of infection running through Kagome's body, there was a good chance that there had been major tissue damage and in order to prevent the spread of infection, it would need to be removed. However, with the poison coursing through her, it was a temporary solution at best until a more permanent solution could be found.

"Kagome," he whispered to the half conscious girl and waited until her eyes focused on him, "Just hold on for a few more minutes okay, it'll be over soon. I promise I won't leave your side, even for a moment."

The only acknowledgment that he was given was the slightest of winces before her eyes closed again and she seemed to withdraw into herself. How long she'd manage to retain that state of mind however was anyone's guess. A quick glance over to Sango revealed that she'd finished heating the knife in order to kill any lingering bacteria on the metal, and it wouldn't be long before she began to cut away the dead flesh.

"Tres," Father Nightroad said quietly, gaining the other man's attention, "you'll need to help hold her down. Just be careful of the burn." The footsteps drawing closer told him that it was time and gently he put one hand down on her shoulder to pin her to the ground. The other rested just above her knee in order to keep her from kicking at the woman who would be treating her in an effort to escape the pain. It wasn't a surprise to see that Tres had done the same, his expression set in a grim mask that revealed nothing.

To Sango, it didn't appear as if Kagome realized what was happening and for a moment, she hoped that was indeed the case. If nothing else, it might just make it a bit easier on the girl. Knowing that putting things off wasn't doing anyone any favors, she fixed Tres and Abel with an anxious stare, "No matter what happens, don't let go."

"Just try to hurry," Father Nightroad replied and braced himself for the fight that he knew was coming. Even if he hadn't been watching Sango's every move, he would have known the exact moment that she began pouring the now cool water on the miko's leg. The shudder that raced through Kagome's body was easily felt beneath his hands, but it was nothing compared to the jerk she gave when the exterminator began probing the wound.

Even though Sango was used to treating wounds, the stench was enough to make her stomach churn and she fought against the urge to vomit when the pus began to pour out along with the water. As she feared, the skin and muscle beneath had turned a sickly green color and she knew that it was going to have to come out. To leave such necrotic tissue in place only increased the chances that Kagome could lose her foot, if not her life. _'I knew it was going to be bad but this goes beyond what I was expecting. I don't know how she's managed to keep from screaming so far.'_

Unfortunately, just rinsing it was the easy part and that had accomplished as much as it was going to do. It was time to start debriding the wound so she could see just how much flesh she would need to remove. Carefully she began scrubbing the gash, but she knew that no matter how gentle she was, it was bound to be painful. That theory was proven correct when Kagome attempted to jerk her leg free, despite how Father Nightroad was attempting to hold her down.

Kagome's eyes fluttered when the pressure increased on her bruised skin and reflexively she attempted to pull away. The effort was thwarted when the men increased the pressure and continued holding her down. Where it had been difficult, but not impossible to ignore the pain before, now it was becoming unbearable with each passing moment and even though she knew they were trying to help, she couldn't stop from struggling against them. "Stop," she whimpered and tried to sit up. It didn't matter at the moment that what was happening was necessary; it was just too much to handle at this point in time.

"We're almost done. Just hold on for a little longer, Kagome," Father Nightroad said, trying to reassure the girl even though he knew that the worst was still to come. He'd been watching Sango carefully, noting the intense look of concentration and worry on her face while she gently rubbed at the miko's leg and he was far from reassured. When the exterminator picked up the dagger again, he looked to his partner, "Get ready, Tres."

When Sango looked up at the two of them, Tres scowled, "Unless there's a pressing matter for you to halt the procedure, do it now." He was far from happy about what was going on and the pain combined with fear radiating through the bond had him even more on edge. His words got the woman moving though and it wasn't more than a couple of seconds later before Kagome's scream of pain echoed through the camp. Even though he was doing his best to hold onto her, the instinct to escape injury was giving the miko surprising strength and she took him off guard almost immediately. It was only the fact that Father Nightroad was putting most of his weight on her that kept the girl from getting away from the both of them.

Even Shippo was forced to jump into the fray in an effort to use his weight against her legs, attempting to keep her from thrashing while Sango worked as quickly as she could. He could see the fresh blood pouring from the wound while she cut deeply into the tissue and he had to look away.

It seemed to take forever, but eventually Sango decided that she'd gotten all of it that she possibly could and set the knife down so she could rinse the gash out again. Provided the others returned quickly, Kagome would be fine with only a large scar to remind her of the injury. "It's alright, Kagome. Just relax, I'm almost done," she said and reached for the first aid kit again. It took a bit of rummaging around, but after a few moments her hand took a hold of the antibacterial cream and she pulled it out.

Father Nightroad relaxed his hold on the miko and began stroking her hair soothingly while Sango began slathering the cream in the gash. Most likely it would need to be cleaned out again once Inuyasha and Miroku arrived with the healer, but with luck the man would have something with him that would kill the pain. The miko relaxed almost immediately; although, he could see that she was far from all right. Her skin had taken on a nearly translucent shade and sweat dotted her brow.

Guilt weighed heavily on his mind since one of the reasons he'd even come to this time and left all he had known behind was to protect this girl so that she could destroy Naraku and somehow she'd been injured anyway. _ 'I can see that Tres feels as guilty as I do, if not more so since she was in his care. I can see it in his eyes in addition to feeling it through the bond we all share. We've both failed her even though I cannot fault Tres for it; he's done all that he could for her. If only I'd gotten there in time, this wouldn't have happened.' _The guilt was weighing heavily on his shoulders and he refused to look up at his partner even though he could feel the weight of the other's stare. _'I'll make this up to both of them for my failure, even if it's the last thing I do.'_

Tres stared at Father Nightroad for several long moments. He knew the man was attempting to come to terms with what had happened; however, there was nothing that he could do for him at the moment. They needed to finish treating Kagome and only then could they deal with the guilt that plagued them both. "Father Nightroad," he said firmly, gaining the Crusnik's attention, "Deal with the consequences later, for now attend to the matter at hand."

"Of course," Father Nightroad said quietly and moved to retrieve the water that Miroku had left to cool. Carefully, he tested the temperature and while it wasn't what he'd consider cold, it wasn't hot either. It was to his surprise that when he turned back towards the others that he saw Kagome watching him intently, even if he couldn't say that she was lucid. Still, it was better than her being completely unresponsive. Slowly he took the cloth from her forehead and dipped it into the water. "We're going to tend to your burn now, Kagome. Try not to move."

Seeing that the priest was about to start washing the area down, Sango opened her mouth to object, but stopped short of saying anything. She couldn't exactly protest against his assistance, even if the girl was exposed to a certain extent. There just wasn't room under the circumstances for her objections. After all, how many times had she and Kagome tended to Miroku and Inuyasha when they'd fallen injured? Instead she sighed and shook her head, "Be careful not to pop the blisters when you're doing that. Right now we've got to cool the area down. Shippo? Why don't you see about taking some of the gauze out of the kit and get it ready?"

Shippo nodded and climbed carefully off of the miko's lap to do as he was told. Tears welled up in his eyes hearing the girl whimper in pain when the priest began to wipe her down. He always had hated seeing Kagome hurt and this was no exception, he could only pray that the others would return soon. In the meantime, he'd help out however he could and right now, to try and reassure his friend would only mean he'd be in the way.

So to busy himself, Shippo carefully began removing each square of gauze from its packaging and then set it aside where it could be easy reached. He thought about applying the cream Sango had been using to each piece, but then decided against it. There was no way for him to know whether it would help the girl or make things worse so instead he just went with what little he knew.

"I'll be back in just a couple of minutes," Shippo said to Sango and bounded off into the woods. More than once he'd been careless and gotten burned when his parents were still alive. Fortunately, his mother had been rather skilled with healing herbs and had done her best to pass the knowledge onto him. Unfortunately, he hadn't been too keen on paying attention at the time and now he wished he had. However, he did remember the plant she'd used even if he didn't remember the name. For now, he considered himself lucky to remember even that much and he knew fortune was smiling down on him, if only a little since he remembered seeing a clump of the plant earlier in the day.

"Now where was it," he muttered to himself when he reached the general area. It was a pity things looked so different in the middle of the night, but he wasn't going to allow that to hinder him either. Carefully, he searched through the darkness and when he finally found the broad leafed plant he nearly jumped for joy, but it was short lived given the gravity of the situation. _ 'I just hope that kitsune medicine works on humans.' _Quickly, he stripped several of the leaves from the thick stalks and raced back towards the camp with his bounty clutched in one hand. Most likely they would be finished with cooling the burn down and he knew that putting the gauze on dry would be disastrous. It wouldn't take long for the material to stick to her skin, making things even more complicated than they already were.

It was no surprise when all attention turned towards him as he raced into camp, but he couldn't be bothered with explanations. Carefully, he removed some of the water that Father Nightroad had at his side and began washing the leaves before spreading them out on one of the plates from Kagome's pack. While he didn't have the materials his mother did back then, there were plenty of things on hand he could use instead. With a rock that had been sterilized by the heat of the fire, he began mashing part of the leaves. With the surfaces broken, a thick, white liquid began oozing out to congeal the pieces into a rather thick paste.

"What are you doing, Shippo?" Father Nightroad asked curiously even though the kitsune seemed completely absorbed in his task of pulverizing the leaves. He could only imagine what the leaves were for. Given the time period, herbal remedies were all that the people had to rely on and he suspected that the child was attempting to make such a poultice for use on Kagome.

"It's a paste for her burn," Shippo replied quickly and examined the paste critically. It looked almost identical to the stuff that he was used to so he deemed it ready to apply. Quickly, he coated the remaining leaves with the ointment and carried them over to the miko's side. "My mother used to make it when I'd burn myself accidentally. After a couple of minutes, she won't even feel it anymore!" he boasted proudly and handed one of the leaves to the silver haired priest. The other he applied himself, pressing gently to the leaf's surface to ensure the paste was properly coating the girl's burned flesh.

Through the pain, Kagome heard his words and, despite the brave front she was trying to maintain, tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "Thank you, Shippo," she whispered and tried to smile for the kitsune. It was thoughtful of the young demon to try to help, even to the extent of digging through the memories of his family which she knew were still raw and painful for him.

"You're welcome, Kagome," Shippo replied quietly, "try not to talk alright? I'll be done in a minute." His fingers continued to work gently over the leaves and within moments the lines of pain creasing the miko's face began to ease. Carefully, he pulled his hands away and regarded her thoughtfully. "If you want to sleep, you should probably try. It'll take a while for Inuyasha and Miroku to get back and we can't do much until then. It will also help the medicine work faster."

Wearily, Kagome shook her head, "I'm... not tired." The dubious look that the others gave her would have made her chuckle under normal circumstances, but as it was, it was all she could do to just lay there. Truthfully, she'd love the chance to go back to sleep; however, fear stopped her. There was no way that she wanted to confront that nightmare again and somehow she knew that if she were to give in, that was exactly what would be waiting for her once again.

Both Tres and Abel shared a look with each other, clearly not convinced with what she had said. But they'd also felt the unease she was experiencing and they weren't about to push her either. So instead, Father Nightroad busied himself with ensuring that she was as comfortable as she could be while Tres kept an eye out for any possible danger. "There's no reason to fear, Kagome, neither of us are going to leave you. Both Tres and I have made a vow to keep you safe, never forget that. We're here for as long as you have need of us. It isn't just your survival that hangs in the balance, but ours as well along with everyone that all three of us hold dear to our hearts and minds. We'll do anything to protect that."

The look that Kagome gave him was unreadable and after several long moments, she closed her eyes. "Even from myself?" she asked quietly and braced herself for the questions that were sure to follow. She could feel the surprise coming from both priests and somehow knew that if she were to open her eyes, she would see the astonishment on both Sango and Shippo's faces as well.

"Explain what you mean, Kagome," Tres demanded harshly. The feeling of wrongness had suddenly spiked and he still had no idea just what the hell was going on through the girl's head. He was under no illusions that the miko was suicidal or would purposely place herself in harm's way, but the question she posed wasn't one a normal person would ask. Especially after what had just happened, there was no way in hell he was going to let this go with no explanation.

Kagome gave a humorless laugh and opened her eyes to give him a pained look, "You of all people should know what I mean. I'm the reason you got hurt, or have you forgotten already? None of you can deny that I've become a hindrance. Even if you haven't said it directly, I know the truth. It's more than feelings of inadequacy. I want to help, but there's only so much I can do and it's a weakness that effects the entire group."

"What in the hell would make you think such a thing?" Tres snarled down at her in a rare show of anger, "You are the reason we're here in the first place. Without you, the possibility of Naraku's destruction would be nonexistent. Leave the fighting to those of us which are trained for combat instead of thinking you're no longer of use to us."

"But he said..." Kagome trailed off, falling silent when she saw the raw anger blazing in the priest's eyes. She'd seen him wear many expressions before, but fury had never been one of them and she wasn't sure how to respond to it.

"Who said?" Father Nightroad said, drawing the miko's attention away from his partner. At this point, he wasn't sure the girl was completely lucid and he was inclined to be more lenient when it came to taking her words seriously. When she turned slightly unfocused eyes on him, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder, "Kagome, talk to us. Did someone say something to make you believe that?"

It was the earnest look in his eyes that made Kagome continue, in spite of her misgivings. "You did, I think," she said at last and wondered if she'd come to regret it when she saw his eyes widen in disbelief. "In my dream, you said..." she trailed off again and then shook her head, "it doesn't matter. It was just a dream, forget I said anything."

"Like hell," Sango said, entering into the conversation, "Kagome, don't be foolish. You can't tell us that this," she gestured at the burn on the miko's chest, "was just a part of the dream too. Tell us what the hell happened so we can deal with it!"

A shudder wracked Kagome's body and she steeled herself against the memory that Sango was asking her to recall. As much as she wanted to tell them all that she wasn't ready, she knew they wouldn't leave her alone, not until she gave them the answers they wanted. "I was dying again," she said at last, wishing that she could just pretend that it hadn't happened, "It was dark, but I could hear him even if I couldn't see him. His laughter, it was all around me, taunting me for falling into his hands again."

"Naraku told you this?" Father Nightroad asked uneasily. While he didn't know much about the demon, something told him that he wouldn't be bothered with telling her such things and, if he had, Kagome certainly wouldn't have believed him. No, something didn't sit right with him as far as what she'd said went, but he was also certain that she wasn't finished speaking either. _'There's more to this, especially considering that she said I was the one who had said such things.' _There was also the fact that she was being burned to death in the dream and it had transferred into reality; he knew that they had a greater problem to deal with in addition to her insecurities. _'Is there no end to what Naraku can influence?'_

"No, you came and then drove away the fires," Kagome explained quietly, "but you were so angry, like I wasn't even worth the effort." The incredulous looks she was receiving made her face burn with shame for having said anything in the first place. Was accepting that she was a weakness to the group really such a grievous offense? Even if she hadn't wanted to hear it, she'd been forced to realize it was the truth. Surely, knowing that would make it easier for her to lessen the burden, wouldn't it?

The look of defeat in her eyes had Father Nightroad reaching out to stroke her cheek gently, "Kagome, you should know by now that nothing Naraku says can be trusted. Neither of us would look at you like that much less speak those words. Trust in us, before accepting what that viper would have you believing about yourself." Now he could understand why the words had hit her so hard. To have a trusted friend demean you in such a fashion, after seeing you at your most vulnerable, would be a blow to anyone and Kagome was no exception.

For a moment, Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but it died before she could utter the first word. No matter how real it felt, she couldn't deny the sincerity that she felt radiating from the bond. The truth of his words was plain for her to see and with the slightest of nods she conceded his point. "You're right," she whispered and tried to stem the tears of relief that threatened to break free. For too long she'd lived with doubts about herself and she knew that it made her weak, susceptible to outside influence and Naraku would be all too happy to exploit that fact. Carefully, she brought her hand up to cover his and held it in place against her face, relishing in the comfort that he was offering. "You'll stay here if I fall asleep?" she asked quietly, weariness creeping into her voice.

"Of course we will. Just rest for now," Father Nightroad replied and made himself comfortable beside her. A quick look to Tres revealed that he was doing the same on the opposite side of the girl. While he didn't look pleased with what they'd learned, at least he was considerably calmer than what he had been. Something told him that sometime soon, the man would be pulling Kagome aside to have a long talk with her, but for now he was being considerate enough to allow her to rest. Until then, they would keep watch over her and do their best to ensure that Naraku couldn't reach her a second time. Slowly, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink deeper within the bond, merging his conscious with it and standing guard over her mind. Until the others returned, they couldn't afford to take any chances and he'd be damned if Naraku would reach her in this way again on his watch.

_**End of Chapter Eleven**_


	12. Chapter Twelve

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter.

Author's Note: Just a few things to mention here. The first is that due to a Mediaminer glitch, some of you might have already seen this chapter. It was supposed to remain hidden, however for some unknown reason, it still provided a link to the chapter. For those people, you have my apologies that this won't be a new chapter for you.

Secondly, I'm stunned that this story has been nominated by the Feudal Association for the Best Angst category. I'm amazed that this story has been so well received.

For the last note, I've gotten quite a few reviews from people who have never seen Trinity Blood before, but would like to. I have the dubbed version, in avi files on my computer and I'd be more than happy to provide links to where they can be downloaded from. If any of you would like them, just let me know through a review with a way to contact you, or an email. I'm ecstatic that this story has generated such interest in the series and thank you for all the reviews and encouragement. I'm seriously considering a second IY/TB x-over sometime in the future.

_**Chapter Twelve**_

It would still be a few hours until daybreak arrived when Inuyasha and Miroku finally strode up to the door of Jinenji's hut. Of course, it was of no surprise to either of them to see that there was no movement within the dwelling. As much as Miroku disliked the idea of waking the hanyou and his cranky mother, they had no other options. Resolutely, he strode forward and rapped on the door, hoping that it wouldn't take long for the two to awaken.

Inuyasha's ears twitched in agitation when the knock went unanswered. Frustrated by the situation, he banged loudly on the door. "Oi! Wake up, you old hag!" he shouted, his voice loud enough to penetrate even the deepest of sleep. The reception he got wasn't likely to be all that welcoming, but at least it would get the job done.

"Inuyasha, perhaps a little diplomacy would be in order? We do need their help after all," Miroku stated blandly and gave the hanyou a sharp look of reprimand. He knew that his friend was worried about Kagome's safety, they both were, but to rile the woman up before they could tell Jinenji what was going on would cause more of a delay.

"The hell with that, we don't have time to play around here," Inuyasha snapped impatiently, "What happens if Kagome gets sicker while we're waiting? It's going to take another two hours or more just to get there and the sooner they get up, the faster we can get moving."

Suddenly the door was flung open and they were suddenly face to face with the old and rather irritated woman who they had so rudely awakened. Oh, it's you," she said, her frown deepening and her voice reflecting her growing annoyance, "What do you want at such an ungodly hour?"

"Pardon our intrusion, but we need your son's help. You see, Lady Kagome has fallen ill and we do not have the medicine on hand that she requires," Miroku said calmly, in spite of the situation's urgency and casting Inuyasha a warning glance not to irritate the lady any further.

"Kagome is ill? Tell me what is wrong please, I'll do my best to help her," Jinenji said from behind his mother, peering over her smaller frame to look at the two men. It wasn't unusual for someone to awaken them in the middle of the night with a request for herbs. It was actually a common occurrence since they were on better terms with the villagers, but it was an uncommon occurrence to hear it was the miko needing his help.

"She was poisoned by a damned snake demon. You got anything to cure it?" Inuyasha asked, his voice betraying little of the relief that he felt upon hearing the other hanyou's voice. Kagome had touched Jinenji in a way that few people had managed to do and Inuyasha was grateful that the other man was willing to help. He didn't want to contemplate just what condition she would be in if they had to return to village and hope that Kaede could prepare an antidote.

"She was bitten?" Jinenji asked, his brow furrowing with worry and confusion. It was rare that the snake demons attacked humans since they tended to be so reclusive, but he knew that Inuyasha would not lie about something so serious.

"Actually, she was scratched on the leg. Apparently, one of the Southern varieties traveled a bit farther than expected and she was injured by one of them. We didn't realize that she'd been poisoned until she began showing the symptoms. Can you help?" Miroku asked, hoping that the explanation would be enough and they could get back to camp.

"Of course, give me a moment if you please," Jinenji stated calmly and moved towards the back of the hut, leaving the others standing at the doorway. While he was frequently called on to help others, it was rare that he went out of his way to go to them. But for Kagome, he had no intentions of just handing the herbs off to her friends and wishing them well. There were certain methods that could be used to bring out the most of the healing plants he grew in the field and much of that ability was based on experience, something that just telling the men outside wouldn't suffice.

The old woman gave a sigh and turned from the door, leaving the two men to follow her inside. Without sparing them a glance, she moved to stand beside her son, "You're going to go to her, aren't you?"

"I have to help her, mother," Jinenji replied quietly while packing the plants he would need for the miko. Dying by the poison of a snake demon was a horrible way to suffer and there was no telling just how badly off the girl was now. There was a chance that he wouldn't be able to help her as it was, but he had no way of knowing the answer to that particular question until he got there.

"What? We can't take the time for you two to walk and there's no way Kirara can carry you. Just give us the stuff and tell us how to use it," Inuyasha protested loudly. While he could understand Jinenji's desire to be there, they'd already wasted enough time and he doubted the hanyou would be able to keep up with them.

"Tch, don't worry about me, Inuyasha. My old bones wouldn't tolerate the trip, but my son is more than capable of keeping up with the two of you, so don't you worry," the old woman chided the hanyou sternly. While her son dwarfed the two men standing by the fire, he was by no means slow and, in reality, should be able to keep up with them without much of a problem.

Inuyasha looked ready to lose his temper and Miroku put a placating hand on the man's shoulder, "We'll leave that to your discretion, I know that neither of you would jeopardize Lady Kagome's health." It was that statement that kept Inuyasha from arguing further because they both knew the truth of it. There was also a nagging suspicion that told him there was a chance that whatever Jinenji planned on giving the girl could be dangerous if prepared incorrectly. For that reason alone, he would have acquiesced to the horse hanyou coming along and if Inuyasha was smart, he would as well.

"Thank you," Jinenji said quietly and gave his pack one final look, "Were there any other injuries? I noticed the others did not come with you." While he had everything he needed to treat the poison, he didn't want to get there only to find out that there were other injuries to deal with. It was best to be prepared now, rather than to have to send someone to gather what he would need later.

"Yeah, Kagome's got a burn on her chest that we still haven't figured out where it came from and Tres is pretty banged up too. She had to sew his leg up and he said something about broken ribs. You got anything that'll fix that?" Inuyasha asked, more than ready to take advantage of Jinenji's healing abilities since he was basically offering to treat the lot of them.

"A burn? Yes, I can treat that, but the ribs will have to heal on their own. There's not much that will help a broken bone besides being splinted," Jinenji replied calmly and began packing more herbs now that he knew the extent of the damage the miko had suffered. Curiosity lingered in his mind as he worked and wondered just who Tres was, but questions could wait until they were traveling. There wasn't time to stand around for idle conversation while the poison was coursing through Kagome's body.

_'Well shit, I guess I should have expected that. There's only so much even he can do for a human. At least Kagome will be taken care of though; we'll worry about the priest later.'_ The thought briefly crossed Inuyasha's mind while he watched the healer packing his things, but a quick glance to the old woman made him realize that he was being scrutinized intently. "What are you staring at?" he snapped in irritation.

"Don't get snippy with me, young man. I expect that when you return you'll be ready to discuss payment. Nothing comes for free boy," the old woman said testily. It was to be expected that there would be payment for healing the injured members of their party, but she wasn't even looking for money necessarily. Even if it were the miko returning to their hut once she felt better, just to spend a day or so keeping her son company, she'd consider the debt paid.

Sensing an impending argument, Miroku quickly intervened by stepping in between the two of them. "Of course, we will gladly clear up any debt that this will incur," he said calmly even though the con man within him protested the idea of paying for anything. However, any money they were forced to spend would be well worth it if it meant that Kagome recovered and they could resume their journey. _'There's no telling if Naraku is planning something for while we're gone anyway, so we've got to hurry.'_

Jinenji ignored the commotion going on between them since there was no point in arguing. He would have done it without asking for anything, but his mother was ever the practical one and it was through her bargaining skills that they kept themselves fed. Once he was finished, he shouldered the pack and turned to his mother, "I will return soon. Please be sure to rest while I'm gone."

"Don't worry about me, just take care of yourself and that girl," the old woman said and gave her son a gentle smile, "You should go, there's no telling how long these two have traveled to get here and times a wasting." With that, she shooed the three of them out the door and closed it behind them. Wearily, she returned to bed, knowing that daybreak would come soon enough and there were still chores that needed to be done, whether her son was home or not.

Sensing the clear dismissal and Inuyasha's readiness to get going, Miroku climbed onto Kirara's back and settled in place. "Okay, let's move as quickly as possible. If you need us to slow down, Jinenji, please let us know," he said and waited for the hanyou to nod before nudging the fire cat into action.

"That won't be necessary," Jinenji said and true to his word, he set off at an easy run. While his size was intimidating, he was by no means slow and his endurance would allow him to keep up the ground eating pace that they were setting.

"We'll see about that," Inuyasha muttered and sprang into the lead, leaping from tree to tree. They'd wasted more than enough time and if it looked like Jinenji wouldn't be able to continue on, he'd be more than happy to take the plants and instructions how to use them on ahead while he and Miroku followed at their own paces.

"So how did this happen?" Jinenji asked the monk that was only a few feet away, matching paces with him. Encountering a rogue band of snake demons was certainly an odd occurrence, but then for a burn to happen as well. Specifically, a burn that even Inuyasha had said they didn't know how it had gotten there? Something wasn't adding up and he needed to know just what was going on.

"Lady Kagome and Father Tres encountered the snake demons after they fell into an underground cavern when the earthquakes hit. From what I gather, his injuries were mainly caused by Kagome falling on top of him, but her burn we're still not certain of. It happened afterwards, when she'd fallen asleep," Miroku replied uneasily. It still didn't make sense to him and he was becoming more and more certain that Naraku was behind it all.

There was that name again and Jinenji's brow furrowed. The man certainly hadn't been with the group the last time he had seen any of them and Kagome hadn't made a mention of anyone outside the group. It was his curious nature which caused him to inquire further, "Is Tres one of Kagome's friends?" He wasn't jealous by any stretch of the imagination. No, instead he looked upon any one Kagome considered worthy enough to be a friend to be someone worth helping if he could.

"You could say that. Tres is... from Lady Kagome's village," Miroku replied after a moment's thought. He couldn't exactly say that he along with Kagome and Father Nightroad came from the future, so this was the best compromise he could think of without telling a lie. As it was, it was stretching the truth nearly to the breaking point.

"I see," Jinenji said after a moment's thought, "I am surprised she did not return home. It seemed as if... she missed her family the last time we spoke." In spite of the girl's outward appearance, he could always see the deep seated loneliness that she tried to hide. In many ways, it drew him closer to her, for that was one thing they both shared and now it made him want to help the miko even more.

"She did, but she was forced to return when Naraku killed her family," Miroku replied quietly. Sooner or later it would become common knowledge that the bastard was still alive and he would rather Jinenji hear it from them than by a rumor that might hold little of the truth about what happened.

"How terrible," Jinenji said sadly, mistaking the monk's meaning behind the words, "Hopefully, they can rest in peace knowing that their deaths were avenged."

"Like hell," Inuyasha replied with a growl, joining into the conversation, "You aren't listening to what he said. She came back after Naraku killed them, meaning that bastard is still alive. He played us all for fools, but he didn't expect Kagome to survive the attack." It was more than a little lie, but Inuyasha really didn't feel like explaining to the other man that Kagome had in fact died and spent the next millennia roaming the Earth as a ghost.

Jinenji could only stare at Inuyasha in horror upon hearing those dreaded words. So many had already died by Naraku's hands and to hear that he hadn't been killed like everyone had thought filled him with dread. Just how many more would suffer before the demon was forced to pay for his crimes?

"And he knows that you're hunting for him now?" Jinenji asked finally, his mind going back to the explanation of how Kagome had gotten hurt in the first place. Somehow the fact that the snake demons had been there to injure her didn't seem like some weird accident anymore, but he wanted the final confirmation.

"I'm sure he does. We haven't exactly been quiet about it, even if we haven't been announcing that we're searching for him," Miroku replied from the fire cat's back. Seeing the speculative look on the hanyou's face he ventured onward, "What are you thinking?"

"I believe if Naraku knows that you search for him, he may have been the one to send the snake demons that attacked Kagome and her friend," Jinenji said. While he didn't know the complete details behind the attack, it seemed strange that an entire clan of demons would relocate themselves without a little persuasion.

"I was thinking the same thing," Inuyasha muttered and scanned their surroundings, "It just seems like a hell of a lot of trouble for him to go through if he's just playing with us. It makes me worried that he knows something about the future that we don't know yet."

"You're right. Several key things would have had to have fallen into place just right for him to succeed," Miroku said thoughtfully, "getting the snake demons to cooperate would have been the easiest to accomplish, but the earthquakes and the cave in? How would he have known that we'd be in that exact spot?"

"Maybe it wasn't just meant for Kagome," Inuyasha replied irritably, "When we got down there they'd taken the demons out, but there was more than enough of them that Naraku probably thought they'd manage to take at least one of us out. The only thing that doesn't fall into place is the earthquake and I've never known that the bastard could control the earth before."

"Perhaps it does," Miroku said, a thought hitting him out of the blue, "Remember Gakusanjin?"

For a moment, the memory did little more than draw a blank in Inuyasha's mind, but suddenly it clicked into place, "Of course, the guardian of the Fuyoheki stone. When he moved, it was enough to cause minor tremors. If Naraku found someone of similar size..."

Miroku nodded solemnly, "All he would have needed to do was to wait until we were in position to trigger the earthquakes. We came in from a different area, bypassing the area of the cave in altogether which would explain why it wasn't triggered earlier. I doubt Naraku was in the area, but it's a good bet that he was watching what happened and that's why he waited until we were in the mountains."

"Exactly, that area made perfect sense because it was open and a natural choice for us to go to given the circumstances. Having a bunch of trees nearby would have increased the danger. All Naraku would have needed to do was weaken the rock structure enough to collapse," Inuyasha said, his anger growing by the moment. Even now the demon was manipulating the situation to his advantage and they'd just left Kagome alone.

It didn't matter that she had not only Sango, but also Tres and Abel there to protect her. Sango was still missing her main weapon, Tres was injured, and Inuyasha still wasn't thrilled with how reluctant Abel was about killing enemies. _ 'Shit, I should have stayed behind. What happens if Naraku picks now of all times to attack?'_

It wasn't difficult for Miroku to figure out what the worried look on Inuyasha's face was for. In truth, he didn't blame him because there was no way that Sango would be able to fend Naraku off on her own if he decided to attack. The only thing that was on their side was that he doubted Naraku had fully recovered enough to do so. If anything at all happened, he'd have sent someone else there to do his dirty work.

Still, that didn't mean they had time to dally. "We should probably hurry," Miroku said and gave a pointed look to Jinenji who nodded and picked up the pace. Even Kirara felt the urgency and began flying faster, matching the hanyou's speed. With a little luck and with Buddha on their side, nothing would happen before they arrived back at camp.

_A few hours later with dawn approaching_

At one time Abel had believed that seeing the sun breaking over the horizon would bring a sense of relief to the group, but even as the shadows of night were being driven away, he knew that it had been nothing more than a fanciful dream. If anything, it set them even more on edge for they could see just how badly the poison was affecting Kagome's body and there was nothing that they could do until Inuyasha returned with whomever this healer was that they'd gone to speak to.

Their only hope lay in Inuyasha and Miroku returning soon, but he had to wonder if even now they were too late. The miko's breathing was labored and her skin had taken on an eerily translucent quality. Even her lips were tinged blue and sweat dotted her brow, despite Shippo's best efforts to wipe it away.

Wearily, he looked over to his partner who was staring at the girl with a look of intensity that he'd never seen Tres display so openly. It saddened him to know what caused it as well, because he knew that if he could feel Kagome's growing acceptance of death so easily, then Tres could as well. It'd become clear to all of them that she was losing the fight to survive and that she'd only managed to hold on for as long as she had because of them. _'I pray that you hurry, Inuyasha, I fear that she will not last much longer. No matter how strong her will to survive has been, everyone has limits and I believe she's reached her own.'_

Yet, even though they all knew that death was lingering around her still body, no one wanted to break the silence and speak the words. It was as if merely mentioning the possibility would make it a reality and no one wanted to shoulder that responsibility.

_'Dammit, where are they?' _The question had run through Sango's mind so many times by now that she was ready to begin pacing just to keep herself occupied. To her way of thinking, at least one of them should be back by now. If she were to be honest with herself, she knew that Kirara had no hope of keeping up with Inuyasha if he was determined to move as fast as he was capable of. The hanyou had to have made it to Jinenji's by now and knowing Miroku, he'd have likely told Inuyasha to go on ahead._ 'So where are they? Jinenji wouldn't have refused to help, would he?' _The very thought was inconceivable, but she couldn't help but wonder if that was what happened.

Her thoughts could have easily continued in the same vein, spiraling in circles as they tended to do, but she was yanked out of her worrying by the sound of something crashing through the underbrush. "What the hell?" she muttered and peered through the trees in an attempt to see just what the hell could possibly be making such a noise.

The question was on the lips of the others as well and Tres rose to his feet, regardless of the pain that he was in. Within moments, he had his guns drawn and pointed in the direction that the sound was originating from. Endless possibilities ran through his mind; however, the most probable one was that they were under attack and if that were the case, he'd be more than happy to terminate the life of the ones making the attempt. Helplessness was not a feeling that he was used to and he'd had more than enough of the sensation while watching Kagome slowly give into the poison. A fight would ground him again and put him back onto familiar ground for long enough for him to vent part of his frustration.

The situation was within a moment of coming to bloodshed when Shippo bolted away from Kagome and directly in front of Tres, causing the redhead to pause. His accuracy was near perfect and there was little chance of hitting the kitsune given the demon's small stature, but all the skill in the world would not recall a bullet if the child happened to make an unanticipated move.

"Shippo!" Father Nightroad yelled, trying to call the kitsune out of harm's way, but the demon didn't heed him in the slightest.

"It's Inuyasha and the others," Shippo yelled back and rushed on ahead to meet the hanyou, uncaring of the danger he'd managed to throw himself into. All that mattered was that they were back and Kagome would be on the road to recovery soon.

Immediately, Tres lowered his weapons, but the kitsune's words were not lost on him. Shippo had said others, instead of Inuyasha and Miroku which meant they'd brought someone back with them. Perhaps it was the healer they'd spoken of, the thought made him relax ever so slightly although he did not move from his protective stance in front of the miko.

Although they'd been told that Jinenji was a horse hanyou, nothing could have prepared Abel or Tres for what they saw when Jinenji came into view. Somehow they'd been expecting someone with a more normal appearance, such as how Inuyasha looked. The surprise they felt quickly vanished; however, when the immense hanyou made his way over to Kagome and knelt beside her. The worry was clear to see in those shining eyes and Abel was relieved to see that Jinenji understood the severity of the situation.

"Can you help her?" he asked at last, moving back to the miko's other side and watched the hanyou closely as he checked her symptoms.

"It's difficult to say," Jinenji replied after a moment and turned to look at the silver haired male, "Poisons are always difficult to treat, more so when they're of a demonic variety." He'd known it was bad the moment he'd touched the girl, but there was a glimmer of hope to be found. It had struck him as strange to feel the presence of two foreign entities when he'd laid his hands upon the girl; however, there was no indication that they had inflicted any harm upon her. Instead, it seemed as if they were helping her to fight off the poison, as much as was possible anyway.

Father Nightroad was taken aback when Jinenji laid one of those massive hands upon his shoulder and he could feel the man's energy coursing through him. "What are you doing?" he whispered, resisting the urge to pull away from the healer.

"You are one of them, aren't you?" Jinenji asked, his eyes shining brightly with understanding. While he didn't know just how a bond had formed between this man and his friend, it was clear that he was attempting to help her in any way he could.

"One of them?" Father Nightroad asked uneasily, uncertain of what the healer wanted to know.

"One of her protectors, surely you know of what your soul is doing, do you not?" Jinenji asked, continuing to pursue the line of questioning, "You are neither human nor demon, yet I sense no evil. Instead, you have done much to contain the poison." Slowly he turned to face the redhead who was staring at the both of them impassively, "You are the other?"

"How did you know that?" Sango asked, interrupting whatever Tres had been about to answer. If Miroku or Inuyasha had opened their mouths about the bond, she was going to have to have a long talk with the both of them. While Jinenji could be trusted, this wasn't something that they wanted to have become common knowledge. She still wasn't convinced there wouldn't be side effects to the bond and there was no telling just what would happen if Naraku found out. _ 'The bastard would try to take out the both of them, just to see if the backlash would kill Kagome in the process and it just might work. Dammit, why couldn't they have thought about these possibilities before they took such a drastic step?'_

"The bond courses through her. It's strong, but growing weaker with each moment that passes. It was fortunate that you took that step," Jinenji said, looking at Father Nightroad in approval, "It was the connection you both have with her that's carried her this far. A question still remains however; will you do what is required to save her?"

"Of course, just tell us what we have to do," Father Nightroad said firmly, not looking away from the healer. He didn't have to have glanced Tres' way in order to know that he felt the same. Whatever the cost was, they'd do it. More than just Kagome's life was at stake here and they weren't about to shirk in their duties to her or to anyone else they'd pledged to protect.

For a moment Jinenji said nothing and just stared at Father Nightroad as if he was peering into his soul. Finally he asked, "What are you?"

The question was not exactly unexpected, but Abel was still uncertain as to whether or not he should answer the question. Even though Vampires and the very idea of a Crusnik were inconceivable for this time, he still wasn't comfortable with announcing just what he was. There were still far too many raw emotions built around the fact that he was what many would consider an abomination, a creature that had been created as a weapon and nothing more. Yet, something told him that it wasn't just curiosity that drove the hanyou to ask such a thing. Warily, he looked over to Inuyasha for guidance since he was the one who seemed to know Jinenji the best with the exception of Kagome, who wasn't in any condition to answer them.

The slightest of nods from Inuyasha settled the matter and with a sigh, Father Nightroad gave in, "Originally I was a human; however, through certain," he paused, trying to think of a way to explain the advanced technology that had developed him. The words wouldn't come to him; however, and he was forced to go with as simple of an answer as possible, "A certain spell changed me into a vampire of sorts."

The blank look that he received then had him sighing, "Think of a vampire as a form of demon, which lives off of the blood of living creatures." It wasn't exactly correct, but it was the closest he was going to come without launching into a long explanation that they didn't have time for. "Why the question? Does it have bearing on the bond?"

"The bond? No," Jinenji replied with a shake of his head and unshouldered the pack he'd been carrying, "But it will have bearing upon the cure. The reason demonic poison works so quickly upon humans is because of the energy infused in it. Even a miko's abilities would not be able to counteract it without help, and I was going to ask Inuyasha if he'd be willing to infuse his blood with her own, given that he is both demon and human. My own would have worked as well; however, there is a chance that her body would reject either of ours because of its foreign energy. She has not the strength to fight off two different types of youki. However, I believe with the bond that you share, yours would be acceptable."

"But, I'm not exactly a demon either," Father Nightroad replied, his voice thick with worry. If his blood was what was needed then he'd gladly give it, but he didn't want to risk her further injury or problems because of what he was. In that case, perhaps it would be better if Inuyasha were the one to do it.

"No. But you have been accepted into her soul and that, perhaps, will make the difference. You've already said that you were willing to help her, have you changed your mind?" Jinenji asked, his voice almost challenging the man to revoke his offer to help.

"No," Father Nightroad said firmly, "Tell me what you need me to do." He knew that if Inuyasha and Sango weren't objecting to the suggestion it meant they trusted in Jinenji to do the right thing. He would have to place his trust in the man as well.

"First, I'll need to make an infusion of herbs which will allow her to rest more peacefully while we work," Jinenji replied and pushed himself off of the ground to relocate to the fire. To his relief, the others had kept water available and heated which cut down on preparation time.

Inuyasha watched Jinenji carefully as he began laying out his herbal remedies and he recognized a few of them right away. When he saw that the man had dakudami along with him, he breathed a bit easier. It was a plant that was quite useful in blocking poisons and with luck, would do just that with Kagome. While he wasn't thrilled about the idea of having to use the Crusnik's blood, the reasoning behind it was sound and he couldn't argue.

There was also Kumazasa laid out ready for use which was a strong herb used to prevent infections. While it was a little late for that, it would most likely be helpful in killing off the infection that was present and prevent more from forming. Right now he was willing to take all the help they could get.

Once Jinenji had all of his herbs laid out, he grabbed a tuber from the Oninoyagara plant and began crushing up the end to make a fine powder. Under most circumstances he'd rather administer it as a tincture, but they didn't have the time to make it. Instead, he added the powder to a cup of water and mixed it thoroughly. Once he was satisfied with the color and scent, he handed it to the male hovering near Kagome, "She needs to drink this before we can begin. It will sedate her and allow her to rest easy while we work."

While Tres was suspicious of anything that the girl had to ingest, it wasn't as if they had much choice in the matter either. The question of how to administer it to Kagome was the next problem that they'd have to deal with. Very little knowledge had been imparted to him on actually treating humans of illnesses. He'd only been concerned with the most efficient ways of killing. However, he'd seen just how well trying to wake her enough to drink had gone over when Inuyasha and Miroku were gone. It just wasn't going to work, but he wasn't sure what would, so expectantly, he turned to look at Abel, hoping he would have the answer.

It was the look of consternation on Tres' face which had Abel moving. As much as he might end up regretting this later, they couldn't just waste time while trying to figure out how to get the tea in her. "Here, let me," he said, and took the tea from his partner, "I need you to sit her up slightly so that she doesn't choke."

Thankful that the Crusnik was going to take charge of the situation, Tres gently lifted the girl up and settled her back against his chest, ignoring the protest of his aching ribs. However, when his partner began to bring the cup to his own lips, Tres paused, "Father Nightroad?"

"Just hold her," Father Nightroad replied and took a mouthful of the tea. It was impossible not to grimace over the bitter taste and it was all he could do not to spit the liquid back out. He had to wonder how in the hell people managed to stomach this sort of medicine. Yet, he didn't and he tried to ignore the wide eyed stare his partner was giving him as he gently cupped Kagome's face and pressed his lips to hers.

Tres could only stare in surprise as the Crusnik tilted Kagome's head farther back and forced her mouth open. An unnamed emotion swelled up in his chest, yet he was unsure of how to react so, instead, he held Kagome as carefully as he could and stared, unable to tear his eyes away.

The look on the Priest's face was enough tell Inuyasha that Tres was becoming more certain about his feelings and he wasn't exactly happy with the fact that Abel had his lips on the girl. However, he wasn't exactly telling him to get the hell away from her which said a lot about their partnership as well. For the first time in weeks, he began to have a bit more hope that this would actually manage to work itself out, without it coming to bloodshed.

It was slow going, but eventually Abel managed to get all of the tea into the girl and pulled back. The uneasy expression on Tres' face was enough to make him withdraw even further. He could feel the slight tremors of jealousy radiating off of the man and he knew that for now at least, he needed to back away and give the redhead space to figure out what he was feeling.

"That was well done," Jinenji said quietly and continued to prepare the poultice that would be needed to draw the poison out. He hadn't missed the subtle interaction between the two men either, but it wasn't his place to interfere either.

Father Nightroad shrugged slightly, "It was the only way to give it to her. We tried giving her water earlier in the night, but she choked on it." If he had thought of that method earlier he would have done it. However, he didn't know what Tres' reaction would have been then. Something told him that the only reason he hadn't objected now was because it was a necessary medication.

"That is not surprising," Jinenji replied and examined the mixture critically, "It is time. I need a portion of your blood now to complete the poultice." He knew that applying the blood directly to the wound was the quickest way to introduce his energy into her system, short of ingesting it. However, he was not about to ask either the miko or her companions to participate in such a thing when this was just as efficient and would produce the same results.

There was no hesitation on Father Nightroad's part as he reached for the dagger that Sango had used earlier in the evening. Thankfully, the slayer had taken care of sterilizing it again, just in case that she needed to cut away any more necrotic tissue so he didn't have to worry about introducing the poison or infection into his own body. Quickly, he removed one of his gloves and sliced cleanly through the skin on the palm of his hand. Immediately, blood welled up from the wound and he held the injured appendage towards the healer, "Hurry, the wound will heal itself quickly."

"I will be finished long before that happens," Jinenji said and took a hold of the Crusnik's wrist, guiding it over the bowl of crushed herbs that he'd prepared. Precious drops of the fluid dripped over the paste, coating it a dark crimson. True to his word, he had collected enough before he felt the man's power beginning to flow to the injury in preparation of sealing it.

Once his hand had been released, Abel allowed the wound to close and then wiped the blood from his skin. While he retrieved his glove, the hanyou was busy mixing the paste in preparation for applying it to the girl's injuries as Tres watched with interest.

"How long do you think this will take to work?" he asked at last, needing to know just how long of a wait they were in for.

"The poison has progressed deep within her body; however, I can feel the power within you," Jinenji replied thoughtfully, relying on his skills of empathy to gage just how strong the man's will to help the girl was. "With the strength of your blood and the dakudami, there is a chance that the effects of the poison will be nullified before the sun sets. However, she will be weak for several days to come. It will be important to keep the wound clean; otherwise, the infection will spread. I will provide you with enough tea to last until you can find an inn to stay in; she cannot remain outside, exposed to the elements."

As much as he wished that he could offer them shelter within his home, there just was not enough room for the entire group. The thought of taking the girl alone crossed his mind, but it was dismissed quickly. Assuming that Inuyasha allowed it, he knew that the other two males would object vehemently. It was the way of the bond and it was not something within his power to interfere with anyway.

"We were talking about returning to the village anyway. You're right, Kagome can't stay out like this, and staying at an inn might cause problems," Inuyasha said, already considering what their options were.

If they were to stay at a nearby village they'd be protected, but not as well as if they were back at Kaede's'. The villagers there knew exactly what was going on and if anyone strange happened to wander into the village, they'd be notified immediately.

"That sounds like a wise course of action. She should be able to travel within the next twenty four hours, provided she is not walking," Jinenji said while moving towards the girl and unwrapped the bandages. His gaze turned critical as he checked her appearance to ensure that the tea she'd been given was doing its job. Sensing that she was indeed comfortable and unlikely to protest her wound being examined, he began unwrapping the bandage.

He didn't recognize the scent of the salve that had been slathered on the wound, but it didn't seem to have any harmful effects. Still, it needed to be removed just in case it wouldn't react well with the poultice he'd just made. Calmly, he looked at Shippo and held out his hand, "May I have the rag please?"

"Okay," Shippo replied and handed the scrap of cloth over to the hanyou. When he saw what was about to happen he went to Kagome's side, even though she was still resting against Father Tres, and took her limp hand in his own. To his surprise, she showed no sign of realizing just what was going on, even when Jinenji began scraping the ointment out of the wound, causing the blood to begin flowing again.

Jinenji's nose twitched at the scent, but he didn't say anything while he prodded at the abused flesh. Whoever had cleaned the injury last had done a good job and to his surprise, he wouldn't have to cut any more of the tissue free. Instead, all that needed to be done was to pack the poultice into the wound and wrap it up again. His fingers worked quickly but gently, spreading the paste into the gash.

"I will leave enough of the poultice with you to treat the wound for two days. Afterwards, a normal bandaging should suffice. However, she is not to be allowed to walk for the next two weeks and then only in moderation until the wound is completely healed," he said firmly, making sure that they all heard his words. He knew Kagome well enough to know that there was every chance she'd be up and walking at the first opportunity which would hinder the healing process, but, if she was allowed to do that, it might ultimately rob her of the power to walk or even her life.

"Shit, that's going to be fun. We're going to have to tie her ass down," Inuyasha said grimly. The memory of her feet being badly burned by the acid in the rock demon's stomach came to mind. _ 'Just great, if I thought she was bad about staying down that time, this time was bound to be a thousand times worse.'_

"That will not be a problem," Tres stated without hesitation. He'd seen firsthand how obstinate the girl could be when she put her mind to it. However, he'd also learned how to get her to acquiesce to his wishes and he wouldn't hesitate to use that knowledge to his advantage.

Inuyasha quirked a brow at that bold statement. "Is there something you know that I don't? Cause Kagome is not the type to just lie in bed just because we say so."

Shippo looked back and forth between the two men before settling on Tres and giving him a curious look, "You're not going to lie on top of her again are you? I thought you were squishing her with how red she turned last time."

Silence descended upon the group and Inuyasha stared at the priest with his mouth open, unsure of quite what to say. Whatever he'd been envisioning before, it hadn't involved Tres _laying_ on her. "When the hell did this happen?"

"When you were all fighting the panther demons, Kagome kept trying to get away and finally he lay on top of her! I don't think I've ever seen her turn so red before, but she didn't start yelling at him or anything," Shippo explained, pleased that he was able to answer the hanyou's question since he wasn't so sure that Tres was going to.

"That's an interesting way of stopping her from going anywhere," Miroku said, tone turning to one of slight amusement, "And she didn't smack him or anything? My, my, it sounds like the two of you are becoming quite close indeed." He'd fully expected there to be some sort of attraction between the miko and at least one of her guardians, and it appeared that he was right.

Father Nightroad rolled his eyes at the blatant innuendo that the monk was suggesting and turned his attention to his partner, "You should be more careful, Tres. Surely there were other ways to stop her from leaving than to lay on her." Had things really become that out of hand that the redhead was left with no other option?

"Without having a rope on hand to tie her up? Not likely," Inuyasha snorted, "Besides, if laying on her is what he needed to do to keep her out of the damned fight, then I'm not going to bitch."

"That still doesn't mean it was proper," Sango chimed in, a frown crossing her face, "What if someone had seen them like that?" They all knew that Kagome's reputation had taken enough damage because she used to run around in those short skirts all the time. To be caught lying with a man who was not her husband would have been scandalous to say the least and for some reason she just couldn't let it go.

"So what if they had?" Inuyasha countered, giving the slayer an irritated look, "You heard Shippo. It wasn't like he was taking advantage of her, he was stopping her from running into a fight. She also wasn't complaining and she damned sure wasn't offended; otherwise, we'd have heard about it by now. Hell, my guess is she probably enjoyed it on some level."

"Indeed, just how long did they lay on the floor together, Shippo?" Miroku asked and looked over to Sango warily when he heard her take a step towards him.

"Not long, but..." Shippo paused and scrunched his nose, "they seemed to like pressing against each other. It was kind of strange, now that I think about it."

"Alright, that's enough of that," Sango said, having heard more than enough. Now she wasn't sure what the hell was going on between Kagome and Tres, but it damned sure wasn't something that needed to be openly discussed around Shippo. It was tempting to go smack the monk for asking the kitsune such a thing, but that would only lead to more questions. With an irritated glare, she turned her attention to both Miroku and Inuyasha, "We're going to talk later, and I want some answers."

The statement made Inuyasha sigh and he threw a sour look over to the monk, "This is all your fault you know. You just had to open your mouth."

"Please, this isn't the time to be discussing such things. Kagome is still quite sick and I'm sure that she would not appreciate being discussed in such a fashion," Father Nightroad chided them all and sent a prayer up that the conversation would be dropped. The last thing he wanted to have in his head was the image of the miko and his partner pressing against each other intimately.

When they finally fell silent, he turned back to watching what Jinenji was doing. Something told him it was going to be a very long journey back to the village, but there just wasn't any avoiding it. All he could do was pray that they arrived without mishap and that they would be able to resume the journey soon after.

_**End of Chapter Twelve**_


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. _**  
**_

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

"It's been over a week, why can't I get out of bed yet?" Kagome complained from the futon that she was confined to and gave a pleading look to Father Nightroad. It was a slim hope that the sad expression would sway his decision enough to give her a few minutes of freedom, but she had a better chance with him than anyone else. Tres had already told her in no uncertain terms that if he found her out of bed, he was going to tie her there. To make things worse, Inuyasha had been standing right beside him and told her that he would be happy to help.

Of course, that had gotten him forcibly reacquainted with the floor because of the way he'd said it. More often than not she contemplated the uses a rosary would be on Tres at the moment, but she couldn't justify giving him one no matter how tempting it was. She couldn't exactly fault the guy for looking out for her well being, but dammit, she wasn't an invalid either!

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Kagome," Father Nightroad replied, not in the least apologetic. While he sympathized with her, he was also one of the ones that helped change her bandages regularly, so he was well aware of what the state her injury was in. Jinenji's medications had done wonders for it, but that didn't mean she was healing as quickly as they would all like.

"Just a few minutes? It's not like I'm going to go run around the village," Kagome persisted, "Just long enough to let me stretch my legs. I promise I won't go far."

Abel shook his head slightly and pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose before peering down at her, "That still won't stop people from seeing you. Forgive me, Kagome, but should Tres or Inuyasha see you up and about neither will be pleased."

That was actually a bit of an understatement. Either one of them would likely have his head if he were to allow her to get up and he wouldn't blame them for it. He couldn't see risking the chance of reopening the wound just for a few minutes of freedom.

Although, Abel had to admit it was a bit hypocritical of his partner to require such strict observation of her remaining in bed when he himself should still be doing the same. However, attempting to tell the man that had fallen on deaf ears and at the first opportunity he'd left the hut to parts unknown.

"You're no fun," Kagome huffed and tried to get comfortable against the pillows that had been propped up behind her. "Where is Tres anyway? I thought _he _wasn't supposed to get out of bed either."

"I suspect that he's suffering from cabin fever, much like you are," Father Nightroad said and examined the hem of his jacket critically. It wouldn't be long before he would need to do some mending to the material and it was times like this he mourned the loss of the seamstresses in his own time. Then at least he could hand the jacket off for repairs and not worry about it any further.

"In other words, you don't know where he went," Kagome pressed, and crossed her arms over her chest although she was careful not to apply too much pressure to her burn, "Why does he get to leave and I don't? His wound was as bad as mine if you don't count the poison and that's been taken care of."

"Jinenji didn't give specific instructions concerning his care," Father Nightroad countered easily, not giving her a chance to insist that since Tres was up that she could be as well. He could just imagine how well that one would go over. No, he refused to be responsible for that one and he wasn't going to give her an opening to try.

Just outside the hut, Miroku was listening to the conversation with little interest. Instead, his mind turned towards the redhead they were discussing. It was rare to see the man away from Kagome's side, so it was indeed strange to hear that he'd up and left the girl in Father Nightroad's care.

Although he hadn't said anything to the others, there would be times that he'd awaken in the middle of the night and see the man lingering near her. More than once he'd observed the redhead caressing her face while looking confused. It was almost as if he wasn't sure of what he wanted. _'It would make sense if he'd never dealt with emotions before. He's probably unsure of what to do and if I'm reading the tension between him and Father Nightroad, it's unlikely that he'd approach him with his questions.'_

If that was indeed the case, then Miroku knew that sooner or later someone would need to step in to help the poor man out. Somehow though, he doubted that Tres would ever approach someone on his own until the situation got so out of hand that it would be near impossible to straighten out. Unfortunately, there were few in the group that would have the patience in dealing with the explanations either. Sango was definitely out since she was of the opinion that this was a mistake in the making to begin with. Inuyasha wasn't likely to be much help either, especially seeing how much of a mess he'd made his own love life. No, if anyone was going to do it, then it was going to be up to him, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to it.

But how does one bring that sort of conversation up? Miroku's brow furrowed as he started walking in search of the redhead. It was a delicate subject to be sure and he wasn't certain just how Tres would take to him inquiring about any... physical reactions he might get while around a certain miko. Then again, it was possible that the man would be grateful for someone to talk to; there was just no way to be certain until he asked the question.

It was best to tackle the first problem before worrying about the rest of it however, and that was finding the man to begin with. Only a few minutes prior to stumbling upon the conversation that was transpiring between Lady Kagome and Father Nightroad, he'd been wandering the village and hadn't seen a trace of him. The others were of course, tending to their own matters and, for the most part, had ignored his presence. The only one that had given him more than a cursory glance had been Sango, but she had been busy talking with Kohaku for the time being.

To Miroku's way of thinking, it was unlikely that Father Tres would be troubling himself to speak with any of the villagers. In spite of the fact that he was a holy man, he somehow didn't seem to be overly concerned with the welfare of the people around him. Instead, he stuck to Lady Kagome and Father Nightroad with a single minded determinedness that even Inuyasha would have envied. _'So where is the most likely place that he would seek for solitude?'_

The answer came to him quickly and Miroku nearly smacked himself for not realizing it sooner. Had it been Inuyasha he'd been contemplating, the answer would have been self evident. _ 'The Goshinboku. It's the one constant between this world and the next. If Inuyasha enjoys the peace and solitude the holy tree provides, then Father Tres most likely would as well.'_

Quickly Miroku changed his course and began the short trek towards the ancient tree, hoping that none of the others would choose to follow him out of the village. The talk that he was about to engage in certainly didn't need to be heard by anyone save the ones directly involved. Whether or not the priest chose to include Lady Kagome in on it at a later time was completely up to him.

People waved a greeting to him as he walked past the rice paddy fields, but fortunately no one saw the need to stop him. _ 'I suppose that it helps that I leave to meditate around this time; otherwise, I'd probably be delayed and it's unclear just when I would have an opportunity like this again.'_

The rings on his staff jingled with each step that he took, signaling his approach long before the clearing and the tree were in sight. To his relief, the priest was seated at the base of the Goshinboku, although, to his surprise, the redhead didn't look particularly shocked to see him coming.

"Ah, there you are, Father Tres," Miroku said in greeting, nodding his head towards the other man, "I'm surprised to see you up and about. I trust that you're feeling better then?"

"The healing process is progressing at an adequate rate. There was no need for me to remain confined," Tres replied automatically and arched a brow up at the monk. He'd been well aware that the man had been watching him since they'd arrived at the village and had known it was only a matter of time before Miroku came to speak with him. "What is it that you require?" he asked at last, "The chance that you're out here strictly for my company is highly improbable."

"Direct as always," Miroku said without amusement. Without bothering to ask if the redhead minded company, Miroku took a seat on the man's right side and looked over at him curiously, "Since you know I'm here for something, then you're probably aware of who it concerns and what, am I correct?"

"The direct approach is more conducive to gaining the information you require. I will ask you again, what is it that you wish to know?" Tres responded curtly. He wasn't about to play the game of dancing around the matter at hand. If he wanted to do that, he could return to the hut and play the game that had begun between him, Kagome and Father Nightroad.

"Fine, fine, if that's how it has to be," Miroku said wistfully and then fell silent for a moment, trying to decide just how he wished to approach the question. For a while, neither spoke, and Miroku became acutely aware of just how little protection his robes were against the sharp blades of grass that insisted on poking through the material. "I've noticed that... perhaps you're looking at Lady Kagome in a different light then you were before."

The statement had Tres raising an eyebrow in the monk's direction. Was it truly that obvious to everyone else when _he _hadn't even figured out how he felt yet? He was beginning to believe that he was the only one unsure about what the hell was going on, especially if Miroku was coming to him. Perhaps now was a good time to demand answers, especially since the monk seemed to be interested in talking. "Inuyasha has already explained the human emotion called love; however, I believe there was key information he neglected to mention. You will explain."

"The idea of Inuyasha explaining anything when it comes to love is... rather difficult to imagine," Miroku stated quietly. The hanyou seemed to be oblivious to almost everything around him when it came to matters of the heart and woefully inadequate when dealing with emotions when they involved him. However, the fact that he'd made the attempt was telling. _'Apparently, Inuyasha wants something more to develop between them. Is this his way of making up for the emotional trauma that he helped to put Lady Kagome through?'_

The priest shifting impatiently beside him brought Miroku out of his musings and he realized the man wasn't going to wait on him forever. It was time to get down to business, although, he wasn't altogether certain just how in the hell he was supposed to proceed.

Finally he sighed and decided it would be best to see what stage Tres was at and work his way through the problem once he had a starting point, "You've admitted to yourself that you like her at least?"

"Positive," Tres answered without hesitation. He'd come to that conclusion a long time ago, it was the other feelings he was uncertain about.

"And you've noticed that Father Nightroad seems to have some affection for her as well?" Miroku asked quietly, knowing that this would end up being one of the key problems that would have to be dealt with. With the strong bond that existed, there was no chance of one of them just walking away and forgetting about Kagome. It would be entirely too difficult and it would adversely affect all three of them until the separation became unbearable.

"I have insufficient information concerning Father Nightroad's feelings," Tres said flatly. He had his suspicions, but the Crusnik had a lot of practice in hiding his own feelings and it made the man difficult to read when he didn't want to be. However, the thought that his partner might want the girl as well made him scowl slightly, he wasn't entirely happy with that thought. _ 'Feelings of jealousy towards Father Nightroad could compromise our working relationship. If that is indeed what this is, it must be resolved quickly before it begins to affect the mission.' _Unfortunately, he hadn't the first clue on how to address the problem.

"Lying to oneself is never the wisest of choices," Miroku advised the redhead quietly. "Whether you want to admit it or not, we've seen the way you both look at her. I suspect that his feelings are similar; however, he is attempting to fight them whereas you are not making a decision one way or another. That is why I am here, because eventually that indecision is going to affect Lady Kagome. You need to decide if you are going to progress your relationship to the next level or not."

"Explain what you mean by _the next level_," Tres said warily, wondering if perhaps he was venturing into dangerous territory. However, he wasn't about to back away now, not when his answers were within reach.

"I mean, when are you going to declare your feelings towards her and actually enter into a relationship? Surely you'd rather do more than just stare at her in the middle of the night," Miroku wiggled his eyebrows for emphasis, "Shippo said you seemed to enjoy lying on top of her."

"It was..." Tres paused, searching for the right words, "not an unpleasant experience." That was putting it mildly and if he were to be honest with himself, there had been times since then that he'd dreamed of those few fleeting moments. On those nights he'd wake up painfully hard, but unsure how to relieve the ache in his body. Yet, it wasn't something that he felt comfortable with asking the girl either, especially since she had reacted so strongly when it had happened. So instead, he remained awake long into the night on most evenings and fell asleep only when he could keep his eyes open no longer. It tended to keep the dreams at bay, if nothing else.

The strange look on the redhead's face had Miroku staring at him curiously. Yet, for now he didn't ask any further questions, at least not out loud. Instead, he tried to remember if either he or Father Nightroad had ever made any mention of what Tres had been capable of experiencing while he was still a machine. However, all he could draw was a blank in that department. Was it possible that Tres had no knowledge of what his body was trying to tell him?

That particular thought was hard to imagine, but then he'd been born with the full range of emotions and feelings, something that Tres had done mostly without for many years. Finally, he decided to come right out and ask, "Is it something that you would enjoy if it were to happen again?"

Tres shifted uncomfortably and tried to ignore the way his body reacted to that particular question. "Positive; however, Kagome did not seem to appreciate the close proximity." Even now, he could remember the way she flushed and how her breathing seemed to hitch as if she would have bolted out of the room had he not been lying on top of her.

_'Oh, somehow I doubt that.'_ Miroku thought to himself and then chuckled. If the way Kagome seemed to bask in the attention was any indication, she was quite enjoying the way Tres seemed to be fixating himself on her. "Tell me, when you got off of her, did she scream or yell?" he asked, although he already knew the answer. In the brief conversation, Shippo had told them as much before Sango had put an end to it.

"Negative," Tres replied, but he'd seen the different particular moods of many women in various situations at the Vatican. They didn't need to scream or yell in order to be displeased about something.

"And she didn't attempt to slap you?" Miroku asked, pressing onwards. If there were two women that he could count on for giving a predictable reaction when something inappropriate happened, it was Sango and Kagome. If she hadn't yelled or lashed out, it meant she hadn't minded the way he'd touched her.

The question had Tres shaking his head, "Negative; however, her skin flushed red and her heart rate increased."

"I'd say you have your answer right there," Miroku said, his voice colored with amusement. "She wasn't upset. Far from it; in fact, I'd say that she enjoyed what you were doing and perhaps, she was waiting to see if you'd go any farther." He'd seen the girl kiss Inuyasha on more than one occasion in the past and saw the way her face had flushed with excitement. In his mind, there was a good chance that she was hoping that he would do the same or at least show some sort of interest in her.

For a moment, Tres said nothing and merely assimilated what the monk had said. Was it possible that he'd gauged her reactions wrongly? _'It's possible; the body's response for both reactions is similar.' _The question then became, if Kagome was hoping for something more, just what was she expecting him to do? Again he was forced to concede his lack of knowledge and experience and look to Miroku for advice, "Then the next course of action would be to approach her in the manner that you have in the past when dealing with Sango?"

A chuckle escaped Miroku's lips at the image of Tres plunging ahead in expressing his interest and groping the miko's posterior. The reaction might not be quite as favorable as he was hoping for, especially if he managed to surprise her. "Not quite," he said at last and held up a hand to forestall the irritated question he knew was coming. "I'd advise you to start out slow and allow her to dictate the pace. A kiss or two will show that you are interested in her. If she is receptive, she'll initiate more contact and then, if you wish, you can take further liberties. If you proceed too quickly however, you might gain an unfavorable reaction." Of course, he himself hadn't had the time to take the slow and careful approach with Sango since he'd had the threat of the wind tunnel to deal with, but Tres had no such limitations.

"And how will she respond if she wishes further contact?" Tres asked curiously. The few time he'd seen Sango accept the monk's advances the touching had still been rather limited. But the thought of even touching Kagome that much reminded him of the painful state his body liked to revert to, and he had yet to figure out how to resolve that issue either.

"You've already seen it once, you'll recognize it again. You know you've got her though when she pulls you closer and begins running her hands over your body," Miroku replied thoughtfully. "Of course, I'd advise only doing this when the two of you are alone. If things get rather heated, I doubt you'll want an audience, if you know what I mean."

"Heated?" Tres repeated and raised a brow in the monk's direction. He had no idea what heated meant, but he was sure that it was something important if he wasn't supposed to attempt it with any of the others around.

"Well, yes. I don't think you want to claim her for your own with anyone watching and I can't imagine you would enjoy walking around in a constant state of arousal. Sooner or later you'll want to take her and for that, you need privacy," Miroku stated, thoroughly enjoying the priest's confusion. He could only hope that Kagome at least knew the basics of what was supposed to happen or the poor girl might end up remaining a virgin forever for all the experience Tres had.

The cryptic wording had Tres frowning in irritation. First they were talking about touching and now the monk was telling him to take her somewhere? Now he was beginning to believe he'd asked the wrong person for advice. "Clarify, Miroku, where am I supposed to take her? Your change in topic is not appreciated."

Hearing this, Miroku did laugh out loud, "It wasn't a change of topic. Perhaps the wording was wrong. Let me ask you a question; are you aware of the basic principle of human procreation?" By now he was praying to Buddha that he wouldn't have to explain just how sex worked, but with the way his luck was running at the moment he wouldn't be surprised. If that was the case, then he was likely going to send Inuyasha to Kagome's time to get the books that explained the basics. The miko had mentioned them on a few different occasions and he'd found them to be rather... enlightening.

"I am aware of the principles behind human reproduction. What does this have to do with taking Kagome anywhere?" Tres asked, his irritation lessening now that he knew that the monk wasn't trying to distract him with another topic.

"It was a figure of speech. The practice of sex is not just for procreation. Many find it enjoyable and I expect that if Kagome is receptive and you are so inclined, eventually it will lead to such an act. That is what I meant by needing privacy. Becoming intimate with one another is not meant to be witnessed by others," Miroku advised him. He could only imagine the reactions of the others if they were to walk in on the redhead touching Kagome in such a personal way. Miroku raised a brow upon seeing the man shifting uncomfortably again and it was becoming more and more obvious what his problem was. "Physical gratification also takes care of that... problem you seem to be experiencing. Even if she's not willing to take that step yet, you can always do it yourself until she's ready."

When Tres looked at him blankly, Miroku sighed, "You have no idea what I mean by that, do you?" It was then that he knew that he was in for a long conversation and there didn't seem to be any way out of it.

From a short distance away, Sango braced her back against the tree she'd been hiding behind. Several times she was almost certain she'd given her position away and had ended up pressing her hand to her mouth to keep the horrified gasp of surprise from being heard. _'I can't believe him! He's encouraging Tres to go after Kagome like she's nothing more than one of those loose women who will bed any man who's got an ounce of seduction skills!' _Had she had less control she would have marched over there and knocked the monk silly for encouraging the priest to act in such a fashion. However, that wouldn't necessarily stop Tres from putting that ill given advice to use. She had to warn Kagome!

Her years of training in the ways of stealth were put to use as she snuck away from the two men who were deeply engrossed in their conversation. Once she was out of earshot she picked up speed, striding quickly back towards the village. Her expression had to be of dark anger because every person she crossed paths with backed away quickly and no one made the mistake of attempting to detain her. It seemed to take forever to reach the hut that Kagome was staying in, but when she did she was irritated to find that Father Nightroad was sitting with her while the miko repaired his jacket.

"I need to talk to Kagome, alone," she said curtly and gave Abel a look that could freeze water. Right now she wasn't happy with any of the males in the group and her temper was on the verge of snapping, it would be for the best if the man moved immediately.

"Is something wrong, Miss Sango?" Father Nightroad asked cautiously, but got to his feet anyway. Something had obviously riled the exterminator and she wasn't about to calm down until she got what she wanted.

"Not anymore there isn't, but let me give you some advice," she said, her tone lowering dangerously, "If you're having any perverse fantasies about Kagome like your partner is, you'd be wise to keep them and your hands to yourself. Otherwise, I'll be happy to remove them for you. Now, out."

Kagome watched in horror as Sango didn't give Father Nightroad a chance to ask just what brought that on before he was physically pushed out the door. Only once it was closed and the slayer had turned to look at her did she speak, "Sango, what on Earth brought that on?"

Taking a deep breath, Sango closed her eyes and tried to get a hold on her temper. She had no idea what Kagome was going to think about what she'd overheard but the girl wasn't likely to take it too well. "Kagome," she began, "you need to be careful around Father Tres and Father Nightroad as well. In fact, you probably shouldn't be alone with either one of them."

Kagome blinked slowly and looked at her friend as if she'd lost her mind for several long seconds before setting the jacket on the floor next to her. "Perhaps you should start at the beginning Sango," she said. She'd known since the beginning that Sango wasn't exactly thrilled with the way things had gone between her and the two males, but to tell her not to be alone with them? That was going a bit too far.

"Alright, I'll tell you what I overheard," Sango said and moved to sit across from the girl. "It seems we've got more than one pervert in the group and Miroku's schooling Tres to follow in his footsteps.

No matter what, Kagome couldn't picture Tres becoming another Miroku, "Sango, I don't think I've got anything to worry about from Father Tres. Believe me; he doesn't even know how to be a pervert." That much was the truth at least, the poor man didn't even realize what was happening with his own body the one time he'd touched her and the fact that she'd compromised a priest had weighed heavily on her mind since then. What was worse was she found herself wishing that he would consider her as something more than someone to protect, and the fact that he'd been so attentive to her had been rather nice. She didn't want to push him away just because of something Sango thought she'd overheard.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," Sango persisted, not swayed by Kagome's attempts at soothing her temper, "I heard the two of them talking and Miroku told him that he needs to take you off to someplace private. Believe me when I say he wasn't talking about the two of you chatting over a cup of tea!" She really didn't want to have to tell the poor girl the detail the two men had begun to go into. The very idea of telling the miko that Miroku was describing how a male could physically pleasure himself filled her with mortification.

"Really?" Kagome asked and leaned forward, curiosity getting to her, "What did Father Tres say?" The idea of Tres pulling her off to a secluded area was a rather nice thought, but she was still of the opinion that Sango was blowing things out of proportion. With the way that Miroku tended to throw innuendos into almost every conversation, it would be rather easy to do but it was still giving her butterflies of excitement in her stomach.

The eager look on Kagome's face didn't sit well with Sango, not in the least. "Kagome, you need to take this more seriously. Tres wanted to know just what he should do once he got you alone. I'm telling you that eventually he's going to try something. You need to be careful. Until Naraku's dead, you can't afford to take the chance of lying with a man. If you were to be blessed with a child, it could be disastrous." Not to mention the damage that would be done to the girl's reputation. Sango wasn't even convinced that destroying Naraku wouldn't alter the future so drastically that both Tres and Father Nightroad would cease to exist. Where would that leave Kagome then?

"I can see where you'd be worried but," Kagome trailed off and looked towards the door wistfully, "I... I like him, Sango. And if he likes me, is there anything really wrong with that? It's not wrong to be wanted, is it?" To be honest, she really hadn't thought ahead to the future and what it contained beyond Naraku's destruction. She knew Tres well enough that if he decided that he wanted to be with a person, he wouldn't leave them on a whim. For that matter, neither would Father Nightroad. Each of them was loyal to a fault and she couldn't see either of them just disappearing once the quest was over.

"Oh, Kagome. No, there's nothing wrong with being wanted, but I'm afraid you're getting in over your head. You don't know how much of it is that damned bond and how much of it is your own feelings. Doesn't that bother you?" Sango asked and leaned back against the wall. She could easily see where Kagome was coming from, but that didn't change the fact that there was a good chance she was setting herself up to get hurt and if it could be prevented, she'd do everything in her power to make sure it didn't happen.

"Honestly? Not really. I mean, think about it, Sango. Nothing in my life has really been normal. If it were, I wouldn't be here right now. I never would have come here in the first place and I certainly wouldn't have died and then been reborn in a cloned body," Kagome said quietly. "I've accepted that things will always be different with me, and you heard Miroku. If we didn't like each other without the bond, there would be nothing there anyway. The bond is just supposed to make things a little easier for us to figure out." Of course, with these two males in particular she was beginning to doubt that anything would make it easier.

With a sigh, Sango shook her head in resignation, "Just be careful, Kagome. We don't know what's going to happen. And it's not just Tres that you have to worry about, it's Father Nightroad as well, although, he seems to have a handle on things. Still, it doesn't hurt to stay on the safe side." All she could do was pray that Kagome would think with her head before jumping into anything with either of them and be there to pick up the pieces if things went horribly wrong. In the meantime, she would be forced to pray and watch as Kagome chose her own path.

"He hides it a little too well then," Kagome muttered beneath her breath. She really didn't know if what Sango said was the truth, but if it was, it would certainly explain some of the conflict she'd felt coming from him. At times, it seemed as if he wanted to get closer, but at others he became almost unreachable. It was infuriating to say the least.

"Kagome?" Sango looked at her friend sharply upon hearing that, "What did you mean by that?"

The question had Kagome staring at Sango with wide eyes. _'Oh crap, I said that out loud?' _The narrowed eyes staring straight through her answered that question though. "Oh it was nothing," Kagome said, trying to wave off the question and hoping that Sango would let the slipped out statement go.

"Try again, Kagome," Sango said, unwilling to let it go now that Kagome had opened her mouth. The thought that came to mind seemed too incredible to believe, especially with what the miko had gone through with Inuyasha. "Don't tell me you want him to show more interest!"

"I didn't say that," Kagome protested weakly, but she knew that Sango wasn't buying a word of it. Not that she blamed her any, if her friend had come up one day and said she was interested in two different men, she'd have a fit too. _'Maybe the bond is messing with my head too much. It's wrong and we all know it, so why can't I just step back and walk away?'_

"Kagome," Sango whispered, unsure of just what to say. The guilty look on her friend's face said more than words ever could. _'How could it have come to this? No matter what happens, Kagome's going to end up getting hurt in the end.'_ Now more than ever she wanted to string Miroku up for his part in strengthening the bond. While he might not have been the one to put it in place, she didn't want to believe that this would have happened without his help.

"It's awful of me, isn't it?" Kagome asked quietly, avoiding the pitying look that Sango was directing towards her. "For years I held it against Inuyasha for wanting both Kikyo and me, and now here I am doing the same thing with Abel and Tres."

Sango moved closer to the miko and leaned back against the wall, "Are you sure it's gotten that far?" Perhaps there was a hope that it hadn't reached that point yet, or at least the feelings that Kagome were having were weak enough that they could be ignored, and eventually forgotten.

"I'm not sure yet, the fact that it's even possible is wrong," Kagome stated quietly, "I shouldn't be thinking of the both of them like that, yet, I can't say that I haven't wondered about them both." In fact, the strength of her reaction to the words Father Nightroad had spoken in her dreams left her wondering. Why had she reacted so strongly to them, especially when they hadn't known each other for long? It would have been one thing coming from Inuyasha, but to hear the Crusnik saying it occasionally returned to haunt her. On those nights it felt as if there was a great weight crushing her chest and it was all that she could do not to wake up in tears.

It hadn't helped matters that on those nights, Father Nightroad seemed to be more attentive to her than usual. It was almost as if he knew what she was thinking and was going out of his way to reassure her that those words would never be true. _ 'But how do I reconcile this? I can't just tell them that I've got feelings for them both and expect them to accept it.'_

The very idea of her attempting such a thing had her cheeks burning with shame. A thought struck her then, making her long to bury her head in her hands. _'The bond. What if they both know already and that's why Father Nightroad has been so distant? Oh God, this is such a mess!'_

"Kagome, whatever it is that you're thinking, just stop. You're not to blame for this; we all know that you'd never consider having two lovers on your own. I think you need to do some serious thinking though," Sango said with a sigh. Her head was starting to ache with the strain of trying to figure out how to get her friend out of this mess, but she wasn't coming up with much. _'I only hope she doesn't let her heart and mind fall prey to what this bond is trying to do.'_

"You're right. I mean, we could just be overreacting right? Tres could have been asking Miroku questions, just to gain more knowledge on what it is to be human and for Father Nightroad, well, we haven't heard anything about him. We could be wrong and overreacting, right?" Kagome asked, ignoring the hollow feeling that formed in her stomach at the thought of one, or both of them not being interested in her in the slightest. She couldn't even be sure of her own feelings, so how could she begin to speculate about theirs?

While Sango knew that there was no chance in hell of her mistaking what Tres and Miroku had been talking about, she was beginning to have second thoughts of stressing the point she'd been trying to make. All she'd wanted to do was make the girl take a step back and be careful of what she was getting into, but now it seemed like she'd thrown Kagome into emotional turmoil. One thing was for sure; she didn't want to make it any worse than she already had.

"I suppose you're right," Sango said at last, her expression that of someone who had just bitten into something rather unpleasant. "If Tres was looking for answers it would make sense that it would be Miroku that he would go to."

"Yeah," Kagome said, "Miroku is the pervert after all. Tres could ask him whatever he wanted and not worry about being embarrassed." She couldn't help but laugh weakly at the thought that it could be true. Sango's sudden change in stands was troubling, but she supposed it was possible that the woman had overreacted. After all, she'd been against the bonding from the moment that she'd found out about it, so it would make sense that at the first possible sign of either being interested she'd assume the worst.

_'I guess, until either of them say anything I really won't know what they're thinking. But what do I do in the meantime? Pretend that nothing happened?' _As appealing as that sounded, Kagome knew that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to do once she considered the way Sango had thrown Father Nightroad out. Even now, she could picture the man pondering just what in the hell happened and what he'd done to deserve such treatment. _'I suppose I'll have to apologize to him later.'_

"So," Sango began uneasily, looking for a change of conversation, "You've decided to start mending their clothing for them?" She gestured towards the rather large lump of material on the floor."

"Yeah, I figure while I'm not allowed to do anything else, I might as well make myself useful. I'm not sure why they insist on running around in these heavy things when we could get something lighter for them but they like them so I want to help them." Kagome giggled as a sudden thought struck her "We can't have them running around naked, can we?"

"Kagome!" Sango exclaimed in surprise, but the miko was picking up the garment she'd discarded and avoiding any eye contact. With a sigh she gave up, hoping that the girl was just playing, "You know, I don't see how they can fight in them, but I guess they manage well enough." That was another thing that grated on her nerves. The fact was that each time Father Nightroad had changed into his more powerful form, she hadn't really gotten the opportunity to gage his fighting skills, and it bothered her to no end not knowing his capabilities.

"I guess if you're going to have to fight in uniform, you might as well do it with style," Kagome remarked and began examining the hem line again. Sooner or later minor stitching wasn't going to be enough to mend the clothing. Major repairs were going to need to be done and it was sad to say, but most of the materials accessible in the feudal area were nowhere near as fine a quality unless you were dealing with silk. Unfortunately, that particular fabric was completely unsuitable to fighting in. _'I still don't know how Sesshoumaru manages. I guess his has some special qualities which enables it to repair itself like Inuyasha's haori.'_

"Here, let me help with that," Sango remarked upon seeing yet another garment beneath the heavy jacket, "I know you want to keep busy, but at the rate your going the guys might well be naked by the time you get finished."

With a laugh, Kagome nudged the other woman with her elbow and smirked, "Now who's being the pervert? Here, you take the shirt Tres gave me while I work on this one. If we're lucky, we'll get them done by dinner time."

_Out in the village_

Inuyasha watched the Crusnik approach from a distance, but something told him that the man wasn't even paying attention to where he was heading, much less whom he might encounter. Now, that wasn't exactly an unusual occurrence; however, the slightly irritated expression that the priest wore was out of the ordinary. Usually it seemed that the man had the patience of a Saint, yet something had definitely irritated him more than usual.

That combined with the fact that the priest was _supposed_ to be keeping Kagome company at the moment was more than enough to arouse Inuyasha's curiosity. So when Abel was just about to pass beneath the tree he was lounging on, he decided it was time to find out just what was going on.

"Hey, Nightroad, is there something you need out in the woods or did Kagome get fed up with you telling her to stay in bed and kicked you out?" Inuyasha asked, quirking a brow in amusement when the scowl on the priest's face darkened further.

"Not exactly," Father Nightroad said, casting a suspicious look up at the hanyou, "Might you be able to explain why I was just threatened for being in the same room with Kagome?" Try as he might, he couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation for Sango's hostility, but so help him if Inuyasha was responsible for it, he would take great pleasure in demonstrating just how proficient of a fighter he could be. _ 'Perhaps I've been remiss on my training. I'll have to see about correcting that in the near future.'_

For a moment, Inuyasha merely stared at him blankly before he started laughing, "Let me guess, Sango threatened to remove something from you, didn't she?"

"Not to put too fine of a point on it, yes. Do you happen to know why or must I remain in the dark until someone chooses to enlighten me?" Father Nightroad asked sourly, although he struggled to keep his irritation in check. He was far from enthused about being called a pervert, much less the insinuation that he would compromise Kagome's honor. While he could admit to himself that he liked the girl, perhaps more than he should, he was quite capable of controlling himself regardless of what anyone else thought.

"I have my guesses," Inuyasha muttered and looked off into the distance of the hut he knew Kagome happened to be in, "I saw her storming back to the hut acting like something had pissed her off, so I went to check it out."

Hearing this, Father Nightroad raised an eyebrow and looked at the hanyou speculatively, "And? Was there anything of importance that I should know about or should I just go ask her myself?" The idea was tempting, very tempting, but he didn't want to go confront the woman without knowing exactly what it was that had set her off.

"Miroku was... giving your partner advice," Inuyasha stated, hedging around just what he'd overheard. Really, he hadn't been terribly enthused when he'd heard the monk explaining the various methods that could be used to please a woman, but he supposed that if the man was going out of his way to find out now, he couldn't exactly fault him. Of course, that brought about unwanted mental images and Inuyasha shook his head to clear them. Picturing Tres touching Kagome in intimate areas wasn't exactly something he wanted to do.

"What sort of advice?" Father Nightroad asked suspiciously. While the monk was a fountain of information, most of it wouldn't interest Tres in the least and, with Sango's comment to him; he had a sneaking suspicion of just what they were talking about.

"Do I really gotta spell this out for you? Let's just say that Tres is tired of walking around with a tent in his pants, even if you aren't and, by the looks of it, he wasn't comfortable talking to you about it," Inuyasha replied blandly and crossed his arms, waiting to see just what the priest's reaction was going to be.

"You... can't be serious," Father Nightroad trailed off, his eyes widening in disbelief. That would certainly explain the venomous look that Sango had given him, but would Tres really do such a thing? _'Of course he would, he's feeling the attraction just as strongly as I am, perhaps even worse.' _

"The hell I'm not," Inuyasha said with a snort, "I've been telling you that the two of you need to pull your heads out of your asses. It looks like he's finally figuring things out, so what about you?"

The statement had Abel turning to look at the hanyou incredulously, "Are you even listening to yourself, Inuyasha? You can't possibly think that it's right to be discussing sharing Kagome. She deserves better than that and personally I'm shocked that you would even suggest such a thing."

Inuyasha shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, "For once I agree with you. Personally, I think that Kagome could do a hell of a lot better than either one of you, but I'm not the one making the decisions here and I get the feeling neither is Kagome. Midoriko took that out of all our hands when she played God and bonded the three of you, so you better figure out what you're going to do about it."

The statement had Abel's eyes narrowing in suspicion, "If you feel that strongly about the two of us, why bother involving yourself? I daresay Kagome would get along fine as she is now and without your interference, it's doubtful that Tres would have considered going to Miroku for advice." Of course, this was complete speculation on his part, but it was a good guess at any rate. Without having prior experience in these types of situations, the man would have likely held back to see what developed and wouldn't be seeking sexual advice from Japan's greatest pervert right now.

"Why?" Inuyasha snorted in disbelief, "Because I don't want her getting hurt, that's why. You think she's uncomfortable with what's going on now? Imagine what it would be like when the bond gets stronger and the two of you are still trying to pretend she doesn't exist as anything but a means to save your precious future. I made that mistake once when hunting the jewel shards, I won't watch it happen a second time." There were a lot of things that he'd go back and change if he could, but it just wasn't possible. The most he could do now was give this idiot a much needed kick in the ass. It looked like his partner was well on his way, now it was just a matter of getting it through the Crusnik's thick skull.

"And you don't think that asking Kagome to accept such an unconventional relationship wouldn't hurt her?" Father Nightroad asked in irritation. None of the women he'd ever worked with would have tolerated such a thing and he didn't blame them. While he was far from being without sin, this was just something he was having a difficult time accepting. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't just walk away either, no matter how much he tried, and it was tying his guts up in knots.

"Lemme ask you something," Inuyasha said, ready to counter the Crusnik's question with one of his own, "Have you ever lost control? Doesn't matter when. It could be in a fight, when you've wanted something, or you lost your temper."

"What's happened in the past has no bearing on the present situation," Father Nightroad countered, his eyes glowing red in a clear warning. Inuyasha was treading upon dangerous ground, digging around secrets that were dead and buried, meant to be forgotten by everyone but himself.

"Like hell it doesn't. You wanted to know if this would hurt Kagome, answer the damned question," Inuyasha demanded. He knew that he was pushing the priest's buttons, but one way or another he was going to make the man face the real issue at hand.

"The instances of my loss in control have been few and far between," Father Nightroad stated coldly, leaving it at that with no explanation. Just because the hanyou wanted answers didn't mean he deserved to know specific details. Only he would decide just who would know such personal information, if anyone at all. "Now, you will explain how this information relates to Kagome. If you're insinuating I'd intentionally harm her..."

"You're not in any position to be issuing threats. I'm trying to make a point here and it's called instincts. If you're smart you'll pay attention, I'm the only one on your side in this." Inuyasha said curtly, not in the least intimidated by the smoldering anger he saw lurking in the Crusnik's eyes. "When you've lost control, have you killed anyone?"

The sullen look in Father Nightroad's eyes was all the confirmation that he needed. "Thought so," Inuyasha stated calmly, "Look, I'm not saying you'd go after Kagome, but think of it another way. What's going to happen when the day comes that you lose control and go after someone because of her? It might be Tres or hell; it could be Miroku because he decides he's going to grab her ass."

The possibility of Miroku doing such a thing was high, but Abel didn't believe that would be enough to set him off. The idea of his anger becoming so overwhelming because of such a scenario seemed to be improbable. Slowly he shook his head, "I have more control than that, it wouldn't happen."

"For now, but trust me when I say it's going to get worse. I've been watching over the three of you and its there. You can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to me. Not when your scent changes every damned time you get within five feet of her," Inuyasha countered swiftly. While he wasn't succumbing as quickly as Tres was, he was definitely well on his way. Sooner or later, it would come to a fight between the two if they didn't work it out soon, which in the long run, meant that it was falling on him to make them straighten the mess out before it got to that.

"I appreciate your concern, Inuyasha, but I'm still confident that I can control this. I'm not some lust crazed monster that cannot control myself," Abel said sharply. He was tired of the assumptions that Inuyasha was making. Just because demons were creatures of instinct did not mean that he was going to follow suit, and he damned well wanted the hanyou to know it.

"If you're so sure then I guess it doesn't matter that Tres is done with his conversation then, does it?" Inuyasha asked, peering at the other male curiously. As expected, the priest turned to look towards the hut, although, to Inuyasha's surprise, he didn't make a move towards it. "I wonder," he continued, "Miroku was quite detailed in what he should try. How long do you think it'll take him to actually make a move?"

"He won't, not while she's injured at least," Father Nightroad stated, trying to keep his tone level and not voice any of the doubts that he was currently having. He knew all too well that there were many things that could be done physically that would have little to no bearing on Kagome's injuries. It was just a matter of how slow was Tres willing to take things and if could he handle the knowledge that his partner was taking something that he wanted, but dared not reach for.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see then, won't we?" Inuyasha asked and settled back once more, although, he was counting the minutes before the Crusnik gave in and returned to the hut to keep an eye on the two.

_Inside the hut_

The sound of the door hanging being pushed to the side had Kagome looking up from the row of tiny stitches she'd been working on. She'd almost managed to finish mending the garment, but the moment's distraction had her yelping in surprise when she pricked her finger with the needle. "Dammit," she cursed and stuck her bleeding finger into her mouth.

Sango rolled her eyes and set the shirt off to the side, "You've got to be one of the most accident prone people on the Earth, Kagome." Now she knew that her friend had it bad, all it took was seeing the man standing in the doorway, and Kagome's concentration went flying out the window. Well, she'd solve that soon enough, "Was there something you needed, Father Tres?"

Although there had been nothing outright hostile about Sango's words, Tres was immediately set on edge with the look that she was giving him. Of course he'd already known what it was, the woman needed lessons in stealth if she were to hope to avoid being detected in the future, and he was well aware of what she'd overheard. Not that it mattered to him, it wasn't her business as far as he was concerned and her opinion on the matter wouldn't sway him in his decision.

But to force a confrontation here and now would be counterproductive to what he hoped to accomplish, so he settled for diffusing the situation and getting her to leave. "Miroku is searching for you," he said flatly. Of course, it wasn't true, but he wasn't above using dirty tactics to get the woman out of there.

"Oh he is, is he?"" Sango said slowly and put the shirt aside, "I'll just have to go see what he wants then." She had a few choice words for him, that much was for sure and when she found him, he was going to wish he hadn't sent Tres for her. As she stood up, she gave Kagome a warning look, "Remember what I said okay? I'll be back in a little while."

When Sango stormed out of the hut, Kagome couldn't help but think that Miroku was a dead man. 'I hope he finds a place to hide before she catches him. He was only trying to help... I think.' The thought was brushed aside moments later when she pulled her abused finger out of her mouth and looked at Tres questioningly, "Shouldn't you be lying down as well? If I have to stay cooped up in here then you do too."

"I had personal matters to attend to," Tres said easily, although he went ahead and took a seat where Sango had been only moments before. It was difficult to make himself comfortable, however he managed after a few moments and took the opportunity to gage Kagome's reaction to him sitting so closely. As she'd done in prior times, a slight flush was creeping up into her cheeks.

"Speaking with Miroku?" Kagome asked quietly and snuck a glance at the priest out of the corner of her eye. He was... close. So very close that she could easily feel the heat radiating from his body and it reminded her of the time that she'd woken up pressed against his side when they were underground. Nervously she licked her lips, waiting for his answer while her mind raced with the possibilities of what might happen if he were to decide to take Miroku's advice.

The question had Tres raising an eyebrow in her direction, "Positive." Had Sango told the miko about what she'd overheard? The probability was quite high now that he reflected on it and he knew that most likely she'd warned the girl. However, Kagome wasn't acting scared, far from it in fact. Even now she was leaning in closer towards him although he was positive it was a subconscious act on her part.

The abrupt answer had her releasing the breath that she'd been holding. 'At least he's not going to try to deny that he went to talk to him.' Cautiously she looked up at him, "And did you find out what you needed to know?" A tremor wracked her body and she felt like kicking herself. '_Oh God, what if he says no. What if Sango had it all wrong and he isn't interested in me. Dammit, he probably thinks I'm an idiot for asking.'_

Before Kagome could look away, Tres reached out and tilted her head back so that she'd be forced to look him in the eyes. "Are you sure you wish to know?" he murmured, giving her plenty of opportunity to pull away if she wanted. Yet the only movement she made was to lean in closer to him and he knew that it was now or never. Ever so slowly he lowered his lips to hers and barely brushed against them, waiting to see if she would protest the action.

"I do," Kagome breathed out gently, waiting to see if he'd continue any further. She knew that she should pull away and put some space between them, but she couldn't. Not when she'd been waiting for this for so long. Centuries of loneliness combined with the exquisite feeling of being wanted stopped her from withdrawing. Instead her hands came up to rest on his chest of their own accord and she could feel the muscles tensing beneath her fingertips. Slowly she began running her hands lightly up to his shoulders, encouraging him to continue. "I want... to know, Tres."

It was all the invitation that he needed as he claimed her lips a second time. He kept the touch gentle, allowing her to set the pace. The feel of her hands caressing him so gently had him longing to hold her close, but he was loath to end the kiss so soon.

Kagome pulled back for a moment, breathing heavily and trying to regain her composure, but it was hopeless. She wanted this; she wanted him. When she brought their lips together a third time the touch was more insistent and needy. While neither of them was experienced, there was no doubting the feelings that were being poured into the act now. A low moan of pleasure escaped her and her hands fisted in his shirt when his tongue began a slow dance with her own. Nothing she'd experienced before came close to this and she found herself wanting more.

The moment she started to move, Tres gently grabbed a handful of her long hair to hold her in place, but she wasn't attempting to pull away. Instead he was surprised when she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. It was as if she was trying to melt into him and he wasn't about to stop her. Why would he when he now knew that her desire for him easily matched his own for her.

"What in the hell is going on in here?"

The incredulous outburst had Kagome scrambling out of Tres' lap, only to see both Inuyasha and Father Nightroad staring at the both of them in shock. "Uh," she gave a weak laugh, trying to figure out just what to say to them. "Um, I... uh, didn't expect you back so soon. Is something wrong?"

"Obviously not, otherwise you wouldn't have been so caught up in... whatever it is you were doing that you didn't notice us," Inuyasha stated blandly, taking in the girl's disheveled appearance. It had been pretty damned obvious what was going on, even if at the moment they'd walked in all hands were still in appropriate areas. But that didn't mean they would have stayed that way for long and even if he approved of Tres to a certain extent, he really didn't want to think the man would compromise Kagome's health like that.

The comment had Kagome blushing, but she didn't attempt to tear her eyes away from the hanyou, "Yeah well, it's not like we were doing anything... wrong. So, was there something you needed?"

Instead of answering right away, Inuyasha took a close look at Father Nightroad in an attempt to gage his reaction. It had been because of him that he'd even come back to the hut, and now he was glad that he had. One minute they were talking and the next, the Crusnik had walked quickly away, almost breaking into a run in order to get back to the hut. Now Inuyasha was sure why, the priest had to have felt what was going on somehow through the bond and it had drawn him like a moth to a flame.

"We were checking to make sure that you were doing alright," Inuyasha said at last, turning his attention back to the girl. As much as he hated to see it come about this way, at least Abel was aware of what was going on now, whereas he'd been in denial before. There wasn't a chance in hell of him passing this off as something that could be ignored. If nothing else, he was going to be forced to confront his own emotions and figure out how he was going to deal with them.

"As you can see, I'm fine, Inuyasha," Kagome said and tried to emphasize the point by getting comfortable on the futon. _'Maybe if I'm lucky he won't keep asking questions. I really don't want to have to explain to him how we got caught up in...'_

"Like hell, I don't call walking in here to see you on his lap _fine_," Inuyasha said curtly, and turned his attention to Tres, "What the hell were you thinking? If the two of you are gonna hook up that's one thing. But you damned well better be prepared to take care of her, and I don't think that pulling her in your lap while she's injured falls into that category!"

The accusation had Kagome bristling in anger and despite the fact that she was embarrassed over being caught; she wasn't going to let him put all the blame on Tres. "He didn't just pull me into his lap, as you so eloquently put it!" she contended hotly. All she needed was Inuyasha to get the impression that Tres was making her do something she didn't want and then all hell would break loose.

"What do you mean he didn't pull you into his lap? You can't possible mean to tell me that you climbed up there yourself," Inuyasha shot back. While he understood her need to stand up for her new... whatever she wanted to call him, there were just certain things Inuyasha knew that she didn't do and throwing herself at men was one of them.

"Of course I did, stop treating me like I'm still fifteen years old, Inuyasha. Dammit, I'm older than you are now! I don't need your permission to get involved in a relationship and if I want to climb into his lap, I'm sure not going to wait to ask you!" Kagome countered, not in the least intimidated by the look that her friend was giving her. Of course, she knew that she was probably going to regret this later because the yelling had certainly drawn attention from those lingering outside, but for the moment she wasn't going to worry about it.

"But, Kagome!" Inuyasha protested, his eyes going wide with the admission she just gave, "use your common sense, neither one of you need to be doing _that_ anytime soon! At least not until you're fully recovered!" Hell, the fact that she was moving so quickly left him stunned. How many years had they journeyed together? And all that happened from that was a few chaste kisses before they decided that they were better off as friends, nothing more. Now she was molesting a priest of all people because he showed a bit of interest in her? The entire idea was insane to his way of thinking.

"You must lack imagination if you think that there aren't ways of doing _that _without aggravating an injury," Kagome muttered beneath her breath, but she knew that he'd heard her with the way his ears twitched. His eyes had also gone wider, something she hadn't thought was possible. Of course, she wasn't so desperate as to jump Tres without giving thought to his own injuries. "Dammit, I don't see what the big deal is here. We both had our clothes on and unless you know something I don't, it was going to stay that way."

The argument continued to rage, but Abel had heard and seen enough. Heaven help him, he wanted to _unsee _what they'd managed to walk in on, however he knew that just wasn't possible. _ 'I should have realized. I knew what I was feeling through the bond and what had to have caused it. So why did I go anyway?' _The answer was that he couldn't help himself. The lure was too strong and now, he was paying for it.

Wordlessly he turned from them all and walked back out the door, needing to get away and clear his head. Even when he walked past Sango and Miroku, he didn't bother to acknowledge their presence. Instead he continued on his way, concentrating on breathing and trying to control the emotions surging through him.

Jealousy was a feeling that he hated, but he couldn't help what he felt at the moment. A myriad of emotions bombarded him, some of which he knew were not his own and it was difficult to shield himself from them. Anger, worry, and desire all mixed together and threatened to overwhelm him. _'Breathe, just breathe. Nothing else matters, it'll pass soon enough.'_

But it didn't pass and he knew that it was foolish to think that it would. Worried voices called to him, but he ignored them all, lost in a world of his own making. They were unimportant, unnecessary. None of them could help him through this. How could they when each time he closed his eyes he saw the mental image of Kagome in his partner's embrace? He couldn't hate either of them, but rather the sight being forced upon him opened an aching void that he'd hoped had closed forever.

Centuries ago, he'd lost his first love, the one he believed to be his only love, to a madman. Now it seemed as if it was happening all over again, but the difference was that Kagome wasn't dying, and the one taking her away from him was none other than someone he trusted with his own life. Regardless of what Inuyasha had said, he couldn't see asking her to share herself with the two of them, assuming that Tres would accept such a situation in the first place. No, he'd have to let her go and attempt to distance himself from Kagome. _'I was a fool and lost her before I ever had a chance to call her my own. She... deserves better.' _All he could do was pray that eventually these feelings that he never wanted would end and he would be left in peace once more.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Title: The Shadows of Time  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood  
Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter.

_**Author's Note: **_To give everyone fair warning, there **is** a lemon in this chapter and no it is not marked. Normally I don't bother to post the full version to this site due to the rules regarding these types of scenes, however, I cannot edit the explicit content out of this one. Too much dialogue would be lost which is pivotal to the relationship between Kagome and Abel. Therefor, if anyone would prefer not to read the lemon, please let me know and I will send you the edited version even though the flow of the chapter was decimated.

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

Sweat dripped from Kagome's brow as she held her arms taut, longing to give into the desire of release, but she couldn't yet. Her concentration was too fragile and to let go now would be premature. She had to hold on tight and keep that edge, lest she lose control yet again.

How could two men make her lose her focus so easily? To, utterly destroy her concentration and reduce her indomitable will to ashes with just one look. Even now they were doing it and she was helpless against the hold they had on her. Only her heavy breathing broke the silence, filling the air around her as she struggled to hold on. _'Just... Just another moment, I'm almost there!'_

Only a moment later she let go, allowing the tension to snap. A rush of exhilaration coursed through her body when she gave in, her muscles quivering with the strain of release. "Oh God, I thought I was going to have to wait forever to get it where I wanted it to go," Kagome said, wetting her lips before running her hand through her sweaty bangs.

"Your aim is improving, child, but I wonder if ye will have so long to take aim in battle? Your concentration seems off; might yon priest over there have something to do with it?" Kaede asked calmly from her seat where she was peeling vegetables for the evening's stew. Regardless of what anyone thought, she was not going blind in her old age and it was plain to see that there was an unbearable tension between Kagome and her new traveling companions. Nor was she stupid, she knew exactly what had happened, yet none of them seemed to be doing much to resolve the issue. Of course it didn't help that Father Nightroad continually went out of his way to avoid speaking with Kagome, yet somehow he still managed to stalk her during the day when he thought he wouldn't be noticed.

The question didn't exactly come as a surprise to Kagome, yet that didn't mean she had been looking forward to it. In fact, she'd been hoping the problem would resolve itself, or at the very least that Father Nightroad would quit treating her like she had the plague.

"You could say that," Kagome said at last and made her way over to the older priestess. Perhaps an outsider's opinion was just what she needed. There wasn't anyone in the group that she could talk to, that was for sure. Miroku wouldn't say anything other than have fun while giving her a perverted grin, Sango had already made her feelings known. In fact, she didn't consider either one of them to be dating material, much less anything more. Inuyasha had told her to suck it up and tell the both of them how she felt and Shippo was just too young to consult. What she needed was advice from someone impartial.

"Do ye want to start or should I?" Kaede asked, keeping her voice neutral so as not to set the girl on edge. She'd been tense enough as it was and finally it had gotten to be impossible to contain her. Short of tying her to the bed, there was just no way of keeping her down and while Inuyasha had wanted to resume the hunt for Naraku, he knew that Kagome wasn't up to a hard trek yet either. So for now the girl was working off her frustrations as best as she could with her archery and Kaede was stuck watching over her to make sure she didn't overdo it.

"I guess I should," Kagome said with a sigh and set the bow down, taking a seat next to the old woman, "It's Father Nightroad, I don't know what to do with him." Well, she knew what she wanted to do with him, but that changed from moment to moment. In her more generous moods she wanted to indulge in the fantasies that she'd built up around him, and in her more frustrated times, she wanted to choke him senseless.

"Ye are referring to the complications that the bond has brought about for the three of you. Ye have found what ye were seeking in Father Tres, yet something is missing," Kaede said wisely. She'd been well aware of the changes that bond was bringing about in the three of them. Had they come to her before performing the ceremony she might have been able to prepare them for what was to happen. However they hadn't and there was no reversing it now. Like it or not, they were going to have to let it run its course and accept the consequences of what came with it.

The statement had Kagome staring at Kaede in surprise, "How did you know? I mean... we haven't come out and said anything about it unless..." Suddenly her eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Did Inuyasha, or Sango say something about it?"

"Of course not, child. Ye act like I do not have a good eye to see with. Let me assure ye that I am not completely blind, I can see what is in plain view. The relationship ye have with Father Tres has grown closer and while ye have not yet cemented that bond, it's obvious that ye care for each other. Yet something holds ye back and I'm certain that it's Father Nightroad. Am I correct?" Kaede asked, cutting to the root of the problem. They weren't going to get anywhere if Kagome continued to dance around the issue and it wasn't as if there was anyone close enough to overhear. Had there been she would have been aware of it and taken measures to send off their listener. Now she watched Kagome and waited patiently for her answer.

With a sigh, Kagome nodded her head, "It's that obvious huh?" The bland look that Kaede gave her was enough to convince her that it had been a stupid question to ask. "I know I need to talk to him," she began quietly," but he won't let me close enough to do so and each time I try, he leaves. I can feel how much pain Father Nightroad is in, we both can. I just don't know what to do about it. How can I fix it if he won't let me try to help?"

Gently, Kaede laid a hand upon Kagome's and looked at her solemnly, "Before ye can think to aid him, ye must first come to terms with your own problems, Kagome. How can ye ask him to accept what ye are offering, when ye are not even certain of what can be given?" Had this been under any other circumstances, she would have advised the young woman in front of her to make her choice between the two men and never look back. However, there was no chance of that happening in this instance and the sooner the girl accepted it, the better off they'd all be. Until then, Father Nightroad would continue to suffer the worst and Kagome would be forced to bear witness to the man's inner turmoil.

"But I don't even know what I want. I mean, I do, but it's wrong and I can't ask them to accept something like that," Kagome replied bitterly. How were having two lovers fair to either of them? If Father Nightroad had reacted so strongly to seeing her kissing his partner, what would happen if their relationship were to go any further?

"Ye continue to think in terms of right and wrong, child, instead of what is," Kaede said sharply, causing the girl to look up at her in surprise. "In hesitating, you're causing needless suffering. Ye have a choice before ye, one that no other can make. Granted, the full ramifications of this bond were not explained to any of ye and for that, ye have my sympathies. But the fact still remains that until a decision is made, the one left out is being punished by indecisiveness."

"So I'm just supposed to accept the fact that I'm going to have two lovers? What happens if neither of them is willing to settle for that?" Kagome asked in frustration. It wasn't the idea that bothered her so much, as the potential reactions from the two men in question if she were to suggest such a thing. She didn't want to jeopardize her friendships with either of them and she damned sure didn't want to give up what she'd just discovered with Tres either.

"I would imagine that it's not jealousy that ye would have to worry about, child. Neither of them strikes me as lack wits; surely they are aware of what is going on. Has either shown signs of jealousy towards the other?" Kaede asked even though she already knew the answer. Having Kagome around so often generally put her in contact with one, if not both men. While she might not be a part of this bond, she was adept at reading people and she could tell that Tres was concerned about his partner. Father Nightroad's feelings were more difficult to define, but when she saw him looking at the two, it was easy to see the look of longing in his eyes. Anger was there too, but it seemed to be more directed at himself than either Kagome or Tres. Of course, that could change in the future, but it was best not to borrow trouble before it came to pass.

"Not really," Kagome said quietly, "they'll talk like they used to, provided I'm not around so it's obvious they don't hate each other." It was actually that point that irritated her the most. Why was it that Father Nightroad acted like nothing had happened when he was around Tres, yet she couldn't get within ten feet of him without him leaving? Was he just that angry with her or was he afraid of what Tres might think if he saw them together?

"Then mayhaps they are more worried about what ye would want, rather than being concerned about each other's feelings. Again, the resolution relies within thyself, Kagome. Will ye continue to punish Father Nightroad for consenting to the bond or will ye accept what it is that must be done?" Kaede asked, putting the younger miko on the spot. Whatever was to happen, it needed to be done before they set out on the road again lest Naraku take advantage of the distraction.

"I guess there really isn't much choice, is there?" Kagome said wistfully, longing for the days that her life's troubles consisted only of making it to school on time. If what Kaede said was true, then this was the only option that was left unless she wanted to continue hurting the Crusnik. "Do you really think it will be so easy though?" she asked, turning a curious look on Kaede, "I mean, even if I tell him I don't mind, do you think he'll believe it?"

To this Kaede gave a humorous laugh, "Oh, I have no doubts that he will tell ye that you don't know what ye are consenting to. A tough journey lies ahead with that one, but perhaps it would be wise to remember that actions always speak louder than words. If yon priest will not listen to ye, then show him. Only then will he begin to understand that ye fully understand what such an action entails."

"Assuming he doesn't push me away and bolt like a scared rabbit you mean," Kagome replied dryly. Whereas most men were more than willing to accept displays of affection from the girls that they were interested in, she'd quickly come to realize that when it came to Father Nightroad, he wasn't like most men.

"I can only tell ye how to convince him, child. Actually doing so is up to ye. Allow him to feel thine decision through the bond, that alone will be more powerful than any words that could possibly be spoken," Kaede advised, knowing that there was a good chance that experiencing what Kagome felt was likely enough to be his undoing. Of course, one could hope that the man would retain enough of his senses to hold himself in check; however, instinctive reactions with demons and other beings were always unpredictable. "A word of caution, Kagome?"

"Huh?" Kagome asked, blinking once, having been pulled out of her thoughts. "You're not going to warn me about evil, molesting priests too are you?"

"Evil? Nay. Molesting? That, child, is a possibility. Ye do not know how he will react to being offered what he craves. At least one of ye must maintain a clear mind, lest ye may end up with more than ye bargained for. Remember that when ye seek him out," Kaede cautioned, although something told her that if Father Nightroad was to try anything, Kagome wouldn't exactly protest. However, if the girl hadn't spoken to Tres yet about what she had been considering, the man might come running in much the same manner that Father Nightroad had done. Explanations would be difficult, but necessary. _'I do not envy yon girl's position in the least. However, once they work through these problems, Naraku will not be able to stand against the threat they present to him.'_

A blush stained Kagome's cheeks, but to her credit she didn't look away from the older woman, "I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I guess, I should probably see about hunting him down." A sigh escaped her lips when she thought about that prospect, "He's going to know I'm coming for him and there's no telling where he'll disappear to."

"So, let him come to ye, Kagome," Kaede said with a touch of humor, "Even though these forests are well tended and kept free of intruding demons, Father Nightroad's sense of honor would protest the idea of ye venturing into them alone." Of course, Inuyasha likely would as well, but if she happened to run into the hanyou before he noticed Kagome was missing, she should be able to keep him from following. All it would take would be telling him that the miko intended on talking to Father Nightroad about their current situation and they needed privacy.

"That's not a bad idea," Kagome mused and looked in the direction she'd last seen her stalker. As predicted he was still there, pretending to help one of the village children tend the garden like Kaede had asked. It was close enough that he could keep her in sight at all times, yet far enough away that he couldn't hope to hear anything that had been said thus far. "I guess I should get started on that then, shouldn't I?" she asked and stood up to make a good show of stretching when she saw him looking in her direction.

Kaede nodded her head in encouragement and looked towards the bow that the miko had left on the ground, instantly recognizing just why Kagome had left it there. "Happy hunting, child," she said with a laugh and returned to peeling her vegetables.

"Thanks, Kaede, you've helped a lot," Kagome replied and gave one final look towards Father Nightroad. It didn't escape her attention how his eyes were glued to her now; it was time to put the plan into motion. Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she turned from the older miko and began walking away, not towards the village like he surely expected, but towards the Goshinboku. There was plenty of forest in between here and there, plenty of opportunities for the dangerous creatures of the forest to come calling for her.

Instantly, worry spiked through the bond and she knew who it resonated from, yet she paid little attention to it. _'Let him worry, if it means he comes storming up to ask what the hell I'm doing, then at least I've got him close enough to corner.' _The thought might not have been the most compassionate, but it was certainly what she was feeling at the moment. The uneven ground made walking slower than she would have liked, however she wasn't about to overtax herself in this venture either. Getting hurt walking would be all Inuyasha and Tres needed to carry out their threats to tie her to the bed.

Of course, that didn't mean that she couldn't put on a bit of a show either. While her leg didn't exactly feel wonderful, it wasn't as bad as the others liked to try convincing her of. Still, playing up her injury a bit would suit her purposes just fine. When she came to a large tree, she paused and leaned against it for several long moments, feigning weariness. _'At least the breeze is nice,' she_ thought when it stirred her hair, helping to cool her off from her earlier workout. Yet that wasn't enough to tempt him out into the open, not that she thought it would be. The move had been merely the start of the game, forcing him to consider the possibility that he would need to confront her in order to make her return to the village to rest.

With a hint of exaggeration she pushed away from the tree and continued on, allowing her concentration to focus on the forest around her. It was difficult to contain the feeling of excitement she got from the possibility of getting her hands on the Crusnik, but somehow she managed and channeled it into something akin to apprehensiveness that could easily be attributed to the fact that she was alone and unarmed. So when a flock of noisy birds took off in front of her, it didn't take much effort on her part to jump in surprise and press a hand lightly to her chest.

"Get a grip, Kagome, there's nothing out here," she said to herself, believing that her prey was within listening distance and would feed off of her projected nervousness. When a rather large cloud passed overhead, blocking out the sun she nearly chuckled with glee. _'Oh this is perfect, now anything could be there, lurking in the shadows and ready to eat little ol me.'_

She turned to stare at a rather large, menacing looking bush as if something were about to jump out of it when she heard the slightest of noises. "It's... probably just a rabbit or something," she said although she didn't turn her back to the "danger" that could be lurking there. Instead she backed up cautiously, as if she was prepared to run at the slightest sign of danger. _ 'Where are you Father Nightroad? I know you're nearby, come out and play.'_

The looming presence behind her nearly had Kagome smirking, although she somehow managed to contain her amusement of the situation. '_Just__... another step back.' _The warmth of his chest collided with her back, causing her to shriek in mock surprise and quickly spin around, bringing her hands up to his chest to push him away like she would if she were attempting to escape from someone. As expected, he hadn't been prepared for the force of the move and stumbled backwards, but Kagome wasn't about to let it go at that. Instead of bolting like she would have had the situation been dire, she threw her weight against him, further upsetting his balance and causing them both to fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Kagome! It's just me," Father Nightroad gasped from his position with her sprawled on top of him, "You're safe now." Really, he'd been about to say something to alert her to the fact that he was there and then escort her back to the village, but she hadn't given him much of a chance. How was he to know that she was going to back right into him, much less manage to lay them both out on the ground. "Oh dear heaven, you aren't hurt are you?" he asked worriedly, fearing that she might have re-injured her leg.

"Oh no, I'm fine now," Kagome said from her spot on top of him. While it wasn't the most comfortable of positions to be in, she wasn't about to get off of him either. Not when she had him where she wanted him. However, she did shift a bit so that she was straddling his waist, keeping him from moving unless he wanted to forcibly remove her.

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Father Nightroad asked in a strangled whisper. The expression she wore now was... predatory and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Weakly he tried to move and found that despite the wrongness of the situation, he didn't want to go anywhere. Not when he could feel her through the bond as he was. Now there was no trace of the fear he felt earlier, merely a sense of great satisfaction like she'd planned this all along. It was disconcerting yet alluring at the same time but he wasn't entirely sure what to make of the position he'd found himself in.

"Making sure you don't go anywhere," Kagome said quietly and leaned forward, placing her hands on his wrists, "We need to talk, and I'm tired of you running away from me." The way his jaw set told her that he was more than prepared to be stubborn about the entire situation, but she wasn't about to give up now. Not when what the three of them needed was so close. All she had to do was reach out and grab it, and it would be theirs.

The statement had his eyes widening in surprise before he hardened his expression, "There's nothing to talk about and I haven't been running." He knew that wasn't what she'd wanted to hear based on the way her fingers tightened around his wrists, but it was true. As far as he was concerned the matter was not up for discussion. "If that is all, please allow me to escort you back to the village," he said quietly while trying to calm his need to give into his desires.

"Not until I have my say. You _have_ been running and I'm tired of trying to chase you down. Am I really so repulsive now that you can't stand to be around me or are you afraid that you'll lose control?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing in contemplation of the man beneath her.

Abel shook his head in negation, "My control is absolute, losing it is not a concern, and no, you're not repulsive. However, it's not my place to interfere with what you've started and I'd appreciate if you respected my decision." It was a partial truth at best, but Abel prayed that she wouldn't see through the part that was a lie. Every moment he remained close to her was a test of his will power. She called to him, beckoning him closer and having the girl touching him only made it worse. _'Heavenly Father, I do not know what caused you to forsake me, but please, give me the strength to remain strong in the face of temptation.'_

"You're lying," Kagome stated plainly and released one of his wrists in order to run her fingers over his lips, "I can feel it within you, clawing, demanding its freedom. You won't be able to hold it back forever you know."

"I cannot give in, Kagome. I won't allow it to happen," he whispered, steeling himself against the urge to touch her, "Please, let's return to the village now, before anyone notices our absence."

Gently, Kagome moved her fingers to brush against his cheek, smiling softly when his hand came up to cover her own, "They won't come for us, Father Nightroad. While you've been avoiding me, we've been talking, trying to figure out how to ease your pain. Even now I imagine that Tres is waiting to see if you're ready to accept what must be." That much at the very least she knew to be the truth, because she felt the redhead's presence nearby although it was a bit of a surprise that he was hanging back, letting her handle the situation. _'Thank you for trusting me to handle the situation, Tres. Let's pray this works because if it doesn't, we're out of options.'_

Although he was mostly unaware of her inner turmoil, he knew that she wasn't about to give up easily and her words had him swallowing hard, "You don't know what you're asking for. There's no way that I can allow it to happen. Be happy with Tres and don't concern yourself with me. I'll be fine, really."

It was nothing short of a lie, even he had to accept that much and the aching void that lay deep within him felt as if it was going to consume him. How much longer must he be tortured before the pain of loss would finally end? When would he finally be able to rest without wondering what heartache the next day would bring?

"Don't try to tell me what I do or don't know," Kagome said firmly, staring down into his eyes, "I know what you want. I know what you need, what we all need. Do you think that we don't feel it as well? Every moment that goes by we can feel your suffering and there's only one way to stop it. Why won't you let us help you?" Longing reverberated through the bond between them and she knew he wanted to give in, but there was hesitancy there, a fear that would not be soothed. _'Think, Kagome, what is it that he could possibly fear more than anything else in this world?'_

"You deserve better, as does Tres," Abel replied quietly and made a token attempt at getting up before Kagome's grip on him strengthened. He really didn't want to have to use force on the girl if he didn't have to, but it was looking as if that's exactly what he would need to do if he hoped to get free. Yet he doubted that he could do such a thing, not when she believed she was doing her best to help him and so, he continued to lay supine beneath her.

The ache in his voice had Kagome wishing she could wash it all away, giving him the one thing that he needed, whatever it was. Her mind raced, chasing after the possibilities before she finally realized what it was that was holding him back, and then she knew the name of the demons that she must confront. Rejection and self loathing, two enemies she was intimately familiar with. _'No more, this ends here and now.'_

"So you're saying we deserve to watch you slowly tearing yourself apart? You know, I wonder if this is really about you thinking that Tres and I deserve to be happy with each other or the fact that you don't think we could accept what you are," Kagome said calmly and leaned forward until she was mere inches away from him so that he couldn't run from the issue. "Is that it, Father Nightroad? The truth, if you will. I've seen the way you look when your Crusnik form is mentioned. You refrain from talking about it if you have a choice and you wish to keep it concealed at all times, even though we all know it's there."

Her words had him recoiling for a moment, but there was nowhere for him to run. Slowly he drew in a shuddering breath and prepared to speak the words that would cement the end of their relationship before it could even get started.

"Can you deny that it's repulsive?" Father Nightroad retorted, finally allowing some of his anger to show through, "It is the mark of my sins, a stain upon my soul. I've accepted it as who I am, but that does not mean that others can or even should. If you knew half of the crimes I'd committed before joining the church, you would shudder in fear and wonder if I might succumb to the desire to do them again!"

"Don't you dare play the stained soul card on me! There's not one of us in this group that has not killed, even Shippo has had to, and he's only a child. Haven't you figured out by now that none of us cares what you are, especially me? It doesn't even matter what you were before I met you! I've seen what you become when you change and I promise you, I'm not afraid. There's nothing that you could say or do that would make me run in fear," Kagome stated firmly, standing her ground against his opposition. It was a dangerous game that she now played, provoking his darker side to the surface so that he might see the truth of her words. Even now she could see the subtle changes occurring within him, revealing glimpses of the danger that lay within, but she would not falter and give him the excuse he was looking for to completely withdraw from her.

"You need to realize that I'm not going anywhere, ever. I've accepted what's been given to us. I know that Tres will as well, you're the only one that's left to come to terms with what we've become," she said quietly, watching him fight an inner battle that he was destined to lose. _'Give into it Father Nightroad, if this is what you need in order to come to terms with everything, then so be it. I'll help you through it, no matter how difficult it may be.'_

The strength of her words snapped the last of his control that was holding the whirlwind of emotions within him. Immediately he sat up, pushing her into his lap and grabbing a fist full of her hair, forcing her to look up at him in surprise. "Are you sure about that, Kagome?" he asked darkly, his eyes turning crimson, signaling there was no stopping his impending change. The sound of her heartbeat filled his ears, spurring him on, but the delicious scent of fear was absent. Instead she was staring up at him in challenge, daring him to go further and indulge in what she was offering like a sacrifice to the gods.

While Kagome hadn't been anticipating the move he'd made, she certainly wasn't going to give voice to the surprise that she'd felt at the sudden move. Instead she relaxed in his grip, as much as her position would allow anyway.

"I haven't left yet, have I?" she countered immediately and ignored the way that his hand quickly tightened in her hair. Regardless of what he'd said before, his control was quickly eroding away and his transformation was almost complete. Even now his hair flowed upward on an invisible breeze, having been torn loose from the tie he usually kept it in and his features had taken on a more refined look. Dangerous was an all too accurate description of him right now, but then beautiful was quite fitting as well.

When he smirked down at her, she could see the wicked fangs that had no doubt taken countless lives in the past, yet she still felt no fear. '_For all the good he's done in this world, people still fear him. Perhaps that is a greater crime than the sins he believes himself to have committed.' _ In her mind it was the truth, for war brought casualties on both sides and fault rested solely in the mind of the one judging the crimes.

The look of acceptance the girl was giving him was ever so tempting and completely naive. On some level she still maintained the innocence of a child, but it would be something quickly stripped from her if she continued on this course.

"No, not yet, but we shall soon see how strong your resolve is," he said darkly and ran his free hand up the along the front of her shirt before skimming along the slender column of her throat, "You say that you've both accepted this, but something tells me you haven't told Tres of your intentions. If you were truly set upon this course, you would have done so."

"Or maybe he's been expecting it and can feel what's going on right now," she retorted, denying the urge to give in and close her eyes to savor the feel of him touching her, "Search the bond, I'm sure you can feel his acceptance of the situation."

Oh, Abel could feel that she was right about Tres having accepted something even if he wasn't sure what it was, but there was also a feeling of uncertainty to it. Perhaps his partner was worried about what was to happen, or perhaps there was the chance that the man was worried about him. There was just no way of knowing, not without drawing him out to the forest and confronting him like his instincts were demanding.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," he replied darkly and lowered his head towards hers. There was no chance for her to get away, he wasn't about to give her that much. Ruthlessly he plundered her mouth, claiming it for his own and letting her know just what she was in for if she continued on her current course. There was no containing the desire that swept through his body and he allowed it to wash over her, overwhelming the girl with its intensity. _'Will you flee little one, when you realize just what you stand to lose? Your purity, your innocence and all chance at happiness will all vanish if you continue on this course.'_

The emotions surging through the bond would have been enough to drive Kagome to her knees had she been standing, and she knew that he was attempting to scare her off. _'Not this time, Abel, there's no way in hell I'm going to let you go now.' _Eagerly she returned the kiss, bringing her own hands up to the side of his face and encouraging him to continue. One way or another she was determined that he would see just how much they needed each other, even if it meant giving him everything in the end.

Slowly Abel pulled away and stared down into her heavily lidded eyes while his hand gripped at the front of her shirt, "So defiant, acting like this is a battle that you can win. Are you sure that you don't want to leave while you can? If you do, perhaps you can forget this ever happened and you'll have lost nothing."

"Not a chance, Abel. You won't win this battle, not when I know the truth of what must be," Kagome whispered only seconds before the sound of tearing fabric filled the air. There was no need to look down to tell her that her shirt was ruined, the breeze caressing her bared skin told her that much, but still she didn't make any attempt to move away. Instead, her hands moved from his shoulders and slipped them further down his chest to begin working on the buttons of his shirt.

The moment that her hands touched bare skin he groaned and pulled her closer. She was far too tempting and it was becoming more difficult to maintain his focus. However, when her lips brushed his neck he knew that he was lost. The ruined material of her shirt was tossed to the side and his hands began working feverishly on the hakama that she'd taken to wearing. When the knot refused to come undone he growled in frustration and tore through the belt as well before destroying the rest of the garment. Only when she was completely bare did he stop and take in her appearance, licking his lips as he did so.

The fact that she felt vulnerable and exposed didn't stop Kagome from completely unbuttoning his shirt, but she paused at the belts securing his pants. Desire to finish what they'd started coursed through her, yet she couldn't just continue without giving any thought to their silent watcher. Her eyes slid closed and she reached out to him through the bond, searching the feelings he was experiencing and while there was the bitter tinge of jealousy, there was also a great amount of curiosity as well. She knew that at some point they would need to talk about what was going to happen, but for now she had the reassurance she needed. Tres would not turn from her because of what she was doing and that knowledge would be what gave her the strength to continue.

"Finish it," Abel whispered wickedly, his breath ghosting along her neck, "Or have you come so far only to stop on the threshold of gaining what you have claimed is your desire? Prove your words to me and then perhaps I will be convinced that this is truly what you want. No, what you need." Slowly he guided her hand back towards the belts and grinned in satisfaction when she pulled them free.

"So bold," he purred when she lowered the zipper on his pants, and slid her hand within the confines of the material to stroke his erection; however, he wasn't going to allow her to dictate the pace for very long. He was the one leading her down the path to decadence, not the other way around.

Through a dim haze, his words reached her, but Kagome was past the point of responding to his challenge, at least verbally anyway. Each move she made was hesitant; however, with each passing moment she grew bolder, taking greater liberties with caressing his heated flesh. From deep within the bond she could feel the war raging within him and felt his desire to take her right then and there. Instinct told her that he wouldn't be able to hold out for long and while she couldn't help but feel a trace of fear, there was also a great sense of freedom that came with knowing what was about to happen between them.

"Open your eyes," Abel growled impatiently and tightened his grip on her, "I want you to see the danger that you court, little one. Know what it is that you are asking of me and realize that once you give yourself over, there's no going back." As he spoke his hands trailed lightly down over the swell of her breast, sharp nails tracing over her delicate skin leaving fine, pink lines in their wake. The slightest of whimpers escaped her lips and were like music to his ears, yet it was a call of desire rather than of fear.

"I'm not afraid of you," Kagome said breathlessly and then bit her lip when the priest's hand reached its goal and he slid a finger along her slick folds. For an instant she waited, wondering if he would dare to go further before he moved again, slipping his finger past her hymen, and working it further into her, one teasing inch at a time.

"Oh God," she whispered and leaned closer to him as he inched it deeper into her body, teasing her with the knowledge of just what he intended on doing to her in just a few moments. Waves of heat coiled through her body, causing her to tremble when his thumb began to brush against her intimately.

"Speak not his name, for he has no place in the here and now," Abel whispered and ghosted his lips along the side of her neck while inhaling deeply. Her scent called to him, begging him to take her just like she asked and he no longer had the will to fight it, not when she was so ready for him. The proof of her desire coated his fingers wetly, encouraging him to take greater liberties with her body.

Carefully he moved his hand and gripped her by the hips, urging her up just enough that he could shift beneath her. Once he felt the slick warmth that awaited him, he paused and whispered in her ear, "I'll give you what you desire, little one. Never look back, for there is nothing to be found for you in the past."

Those haunting words were the last she heard before he began to flex his hips while pulling her down, forcing his hot length into her body and it took all of her willpower not to cry out with the pain that followed the intrusion. Painfully she clutched at his shoulders, holding on as best as she could while he took her virginity and left her breathless. While she'd known of what would happen, nothing could have prepared her for the reality of the fact. "Just... wait for a moment, please," she gasped, willing her body to relax enough that she could think beyond the pain.

"Why? Do you wish to relish the pain and prolong your suffering?" Abel said darkly, maintaining his grip on her waist and pulled her closer to him to emphasize the point. The breathy moan that followed made him smile in satisfaction and he was pleased when she shifted again on her own, realizing the truth of his words. "Besides," he whispered, "Why deny myself the pleasure of what you offer when you've all but given yourself to me?"

When he held her firmly in place, preventing her from moving, Kagome realized that he was right. Even the slightest movement was far preferable to being held immobile and her frustration was beginning to mount when she couldn't do more that tremble in place.

"Then take it!" she snarled at him in an attempt to get him to do something, anything to relieve the need that was now driving her to desperation.

"As you wish," he said with a smirk and within moments he had them both laid out on the ground. With the miko on her side it left him free to move as he desired, but there was still a driving need to restrain her to a certain extent. The challenge she threw out would not go unheeded, not this time. Before she could do more than blink at him in surprise, he secured her leg over his arm. With agonizing slowness he withdrew until only the head of his cock remained within her and in the next heartbeat he drove it in to the hilt. The look of astonishment on his lover's face pleased him greatly and he found himself needing to see more.

"Is this what you wanted? To be possessed completely by someone you could never hope to understand?" he purred, thrusting slowly but deeply, drawing out each pleasurable moment to its fullest. The feel of her was exquisite with her body wrapped around him so tightly and he was loath to give into his own release so quickly.

The arrogant tone had Kagome glaring up at him despite just how vulnerable she was at the moment. "I... understand... far more than you give me credit for," she panted, throwing her head back when he slammed into her with a vicious growl. It was obvious his intent was to scare her, but there was no way in hell that was going to happen. In fact, the way he possessed her only served to further fuel her own desire.

"Enough talk," she groaned wantonly and tangled a hand in his hair, tugging until his lips were mere inches from her own, "Show me what it means to belong to you, Crusnik."

That was all it took for Abel to roll her onto her back and force her to wrap both of her legs around his waist. If she wanted him, she was going to get all of him, with no holding back. When his lips found hers, they parted eagerly and allowed his tongue to slip inside; muffling the whimpering that came with each aggressive thrust he gave her. For too long he'd denied himself that which he wanted and the time for waiting was over, she was his and he'd gladly remove the head from any man which sought to take her from him. Possessiveness overwhelmed him with the thought that anyone might try and his grip on her tightened.

Kagome barely noticed the stinging sensation that came from his claws breaking her skin, but she became acutely aware of when he seemed to pause. "Don't stop," she whined and shifted beneath him, trying to get him to finish what he'd started. She was ever so close to achieving release and that he would take that moment away was nothing but pure torture. However, when he began to lick at the thin lines of blood that had begun to flow from the wounds, her mind fogged over with the pleasure that resonated through the bond with him.

"Like that, do you?" Abel asked teasing, licking his lips of the crimson fluid that stained them. A wicked grin crossed his face when she gazed at him with lust filled eyes, barely able to nod in answer to the question. The duel assault on her body had pushed her to the brink and it had left her in a daze, feeling nothing but the pleasure he could give her.

It was all the permission he needed to continue. He found that her blood was ever so sweet and while feeding on humans did little for him, he found he could easily get addicted to the taste of her. Eagerly he returned to her neck and bit deeply, savoring the taste of her blood. The reaction was immediate and he could feel her body clench around him as she came, her cries of pleasure filling the air around them. It was too much, far too much for him to withstand and the fragile control over his body snapped in an instant. His slow thrusts became rough, almost brutal as he drove into her repeatedly, his need becoming far too great to give thought to anything but the feel of her around his cock. With one final thrust he came deep within her, his body trembling with the pleasure that came from such a sinful act.

For several long moments he was unable to move and then it seemed all of his energy left him. With great effort he managed to roll them back onto their sides before he collapsed on top of her and for a short time there were no words spoken while they fought to catch their breath. With the disappearance of his Crusnik form, clarity came to him and he was hit with the enormity of what he'd just done. Not only had he become weak and given into temptation, he'd purposefully injured her in the process. The scratches and bite to her neck could never be mistaken for an accident and the blood trickling across her neck seemed to mock him, reminding him of everything he hated about himself.

"Don't," Kagome whispered, immediately sensing his apprehensiveness. It was imperative that she moves quickly to reassure him, before everything that she had just accomplished vanished into thin air, "Don't regret; don't look back. Isn't that what you told me? I'm glad it happened, don't pull away from us again. Please."

She knew that these first moments after were likely to be the hardest and she didn't want to give him the opportunity to withdraw into himself again. Her hand moved up to cup his cheek and she willed the strength of her emotions to reach him through the bond. He needed to know just how much she needed him and he needed to realize how much he needed her as well.

"But I hurt you," Father Nightroad whispered mournfully, eying the gashes he'd left on her body._ 'This is... unforgivable. Worse than dishonorable, she had no way of fighting against what I did.' _He couldn't understand why she wasn't pushing him away, demanding he get away from her. In the end he'd lost control with the girl, something he'd swore that he'd never do. _'I'm a fool, I should have realized it would come to this.'_

"That doesn't matter, Abel. It was... a unique experience and I don't regret it," Kagome countered softly before pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss. When she pulled back she smiled gently at him, "Don't you see? I won't leave you, not for any reason and your fears about coming between me and Tres are groundless as well. Please don't throw it all away because you fear what other people might think."

The mention of his partner was yet another complication that Abel wasn't prepared to handle. Wearily, he closed his eyes and tried to figure out how he was going to deal with the repercussions of what just happened. Even if Tres had accepted that eventually he'd be forced to share the woman he'd begun to fall in love with, that didn't mean that the man had come to terms with everything that it meant either. In many ways it was difficult to determine just how the redhead would react, simply because he had no experience to base those reactions on. _'Dear lord, he might decide to use me for target practice and I can't say as I blame him.'_

"He's going to kill me," he muttered at last and shielded his eyes by throwing his arm over his face. Somehow he just knew that regardless of what Kagome said, judgment day was close at hand and there was no way in hell his partner wouldn't take offense to what he'd done. If nothing else, he'd seen the look in the man's eyes the one time he'd put his mouth on the miko and that was to treat her when she was injured!

The statement had Kagome raising a brow and propping herself up on one arm, "I think if he was going to do that, he would have already." When the Crusnik uncovered his eyes long enough to look at her questioningly, she jerked her head over towards the tree that the redhead was currently leaning against. While his expression was virtually unreadable, she could feel Tres' emotions through the bond, and one thing was for certain, even if he was more than a bit jealous, he'd enjoyed the show that he'd gotten.

"Oh good heaven!" Father Nightroad exclaimed and sat up abruptly in surprise. The last thing he'd expected to see was his partner standing there like he was posted on guard duty. Even though it was pointless to attempt straightening his clothing, that didn't stop Abel from making the attempt anyway; eventually he gave up with a groan, "Should I ask how long you've been standing there, Tres?"

"Long enough," Tres stated blandly and walked over to Kagome, unbuckling his jacket as he went. The tatters of her clothing were thrown off to the side and he knew there was absolutely no way that he would allow her to walk back to the hut in the nude. Wordlessly he handed the heavy garment over to her and then turned his attention back to Father Nightroad, his expression devoid of emotion, "I trust that we will have no further complications with your lack of acceptance on the current situation."

"Have you both gone mad?" Father Nightroad asked incredulously, unable to believe what he was hearing, "Doesn't this bother either of you at all?"

"Negative, expediency was the best course of action to resolve the conflict. When it became obvious that you were unable to adequately deal with the issue, it became apparent that either Kagome or myself would have to take action. She wished to be the one to confront you, and the method to be utilized was left to her discretion," Tres replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

Truthfully, what he'd just witnessed did bother him to a certain extent, but he'd been present while listening to Kaede speak to the girl, even if they hadn't been aware of it. It'd been simple to follow along shortly after, giving Kagome enough time to initiate the conversation that had followed. However, in some ways, Abel had been right. Knowing in your mind what was going to happen was much different than witnessing it and it had taken all of his will power not to interrupt them. It was a necessary move, albeit one that he truthfully could have gone without. But to speak of his misgivings would only serve to further complicate the situation which was something they couldn't afford.

"So then you knew what she was planning?" Father Nightroad asked quietly, unsure of how to react to what he'd just heard. Something inside told him he should be furious with the both of them, but he just couldn't. Were they really so worried about him that they'd give up something they could have together, without his interference just to make sure he wasn't suffering. He'd met many selfless people in his lifetime, but the actions of these two had rendered him speechless.

"Negative, even Kagome was unaware of what the outcome of this confrontation would be; however, I believe she made the appropriate choice," Tres said, meeting the Crusnik's gaze and gauging his reaction to what had just been said. It was helpful that the man was considering what they were telling him, instead of just reacting out of instinct, but Tres sincerely hoped this confrontation would drive the lesson home so things would be balanced once more between the three of them.

There wasn't much that Father Nightroad could say to that, so for a moment he remained silent, considering his options. Pretending that this had never happened, while an appealing idea, was completely out of the question. It would be beyond dishonorable on his part to have become intimate with the miko only to treat her as nothing more than a passing acquaintance afterwards. Yet, he wasn't sure how he would be able to take the knowledge that he had to share her either. While his partner seemed to have accepted what had happened, would he himself have been able to do the same if the roles had been reversed?

In the end he decided that it was a question he couldn't answer, at least not at the moment. The true test would come when Kagome approached Tres again with something more than conversation in mind and he could only hope that he would have the strength to accept it. Finally, he looked at the both of them who were watching him quietly, waiting for his answer, but he couldn't give it to them just yet.

"What of the others?" he asked at last. While he knew that Inuyasha would accept what had happened, that didn't mean the others would as well. Gut instinct and her previous reactions told him that Sango, at the very least, would be furious beyond reason.

"Does it matter as long as we're happy with what's happened?" Kagome asked while clutching Tres' coat tightly to her body as if it would protect her from the possible rejection that loomed on the horizon, "I'm sure that there will be some hard feelings, but in the end it isn't their decision. It's ours and they'll just have to accept it. We were brought together for a reason, Abel; I'm not going to allow their dissent take that away. Will you?"

It was then that Father Nightroad truly realized just how precarious Kagome's position was at the moment. Tres stood nearby, stoic as ever yet he could see the way he kept his attention centered on the miko. After everything that happened, if he were to push her away now it would be dealing a devastating blow to her trust. Ultimately it would affect them to the point where it would be unlikely that they could even remain friends, despite the bond that tied them together.

"If you're both sure this is what you want, then no. I suppose that what they think doesn't matter," he said at last. Inwardly he could only pray that his one moment of weakness wouldn't bring consequences that none of them were prepared to deal with.

The concession was enough to bring a smile to Kagome's face and he could feel the relief flooding through the bond from both her and Tres. Moments later he had his hands full with one miko who had latched onto his side. Cautiously he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug while looking at Tres who nodded his approval. For now he allowed himself to savor the embrace; however, he knew that it couldn't last forever.

"We should be getting back, he said at last. I don't think you want someone like the monk to come looking and find us all in this state," he said with the slightest traces of amusement. At least with Miroku all they were looking at was some thinly veiled innuendos, with Sango they might be looking at bloodshed. _ 'She did threaten to remove my hands if I thought about touching Kagome. I shudder to think of what she'd remove if she knew of what just happened.'_

"You might be right, we don't want to give Miroku any more reasons to be perverted than he already is," Kagome said after pulling away. However, she stopped after giving him a once over and giggled, "You might want to fix your clothes first though. It's going to be bad enough that I'm missing all of my clothes, we don't need them seeing you in all your... glory either."

"I'm beginning to wonder if Miroku's having a bit too much influence on you," Father Nightroad remarked dryly and once more set about fixing his clothing. Now that he wasn't quite so flustered, things went much more smoothly although he had to sigh at the rather obvious stain on the front of his pants._ 'I suppose that this will teach me to remove all my clothing next time. Hopefully no one will notice.'_

"Actually, I think you have Shippo to thank for that. By the time I met up with him again, he'd become rather... worldly," Kagome said with a sheepish grin. What she'd said about Shippo had been the truth, even if it was hard to imagine right now because he was but a child. However, in the future his escapades were quite insightful and he'd had no qualms about sharing any of them with her.

With a bit of effort she managed to get to her feet and stand beside Tres in spite of the fact that his jacket trailed the ground behind her by a good two feet. "Wow, this jacket weighs a ton, Tres. I guess I should be grateful you didn't bother with the armor this time huh?" She commented with a wry grin directed at the redhead.

"Full battle dress is unnecessary at the current time," Tres remarked casually, glancing down at the miko who had almost vanished beneath his clothing.

"Yeah, yeah. I'd say full attire is unnecessary at this time too," she replied cheekily, and ran her finger over his bare chest for emphasis, "That reminds me, your shirt is done. Next time be more careful when training with Inuyasha please? If you keep getting it torn, it won't be long before I can't mend it anymore."

Tres merely inclined his head in response, but didn't say anything. Hand to hand combat was hard on any clothing and with his change in physical status, he felt the heat more acutely than he had before. Fighting in full battle dress just wasn't always the most appropriate of actions when one took heat exhaustion into account.

Father Nightroad shook his head and finished buttoning up his shirt, "I don't think you're going to have much luck on that front, Kagome. Just be happy that a shirt is easily replaced. Shall we go now?" As much as he'd like to stay out here, preferably until the entire village was asleep, he knew it just wasn't possible. Already he was envisioning the strange looks they were likely to get, but there just wasn't any avoiding it.

"Yep, I guess we have to face the music sometime," Kagome replied and began walking towards the village, albeit rather slowly with the heavy coat limiting her movement. The two men immediately put her between the both of them, most likely to prevent anyone from approaching her to ask if she'd had an accident or something. As soon as they emerged from the forest, she could tell this was going to be an extremely long walk through the village because it seemed like everyone had stopped what they were doing to gawk at them.

"Dammit, can't they look somewhere else? It's not like they haven't seen my legs before or anything," Kagome muttered beneath her breath and double checked her hold on the jacket to make sure that nothing _else_ was showing. There just wasn't any helping that from about mid thigh down, the garment parted as she walked, exposing most of her legs to the village's view.

"We'll be back to the hut soon and then you can get dressed," Father Nightroad replied quietly and tried not to look guilty when some of the villagers looked at him rather suspiciously.

"It would have been nice if I would have had my own clothes to wear back you know," Kagome pointed out helpfully, mourning the loss of her underwear. It wouldn't have been so bad walking back in the jacket if she weren't constantly worrying about a breeze coming along and causing the material to part, giving the world a view that they weren't meant to see.

The statement had Father Nightroad casting a sidelong glance at her with an eyebrow raised, "Yes, well that, my dear, is entirely your fault for being too tempting. Next time, take care to remove them unless you enjoy walking around in Tres' clothing."

"So you're admitting there will be a next time then?" Kagome asked with a smirk and then starting laughing when the Crusnik started to sputter in shock that she would be so bold as to ask such a thing.

"If it is your intention of drawing attention to yourselves, you are succeeding," Tres informed them while trying not to chuckle at how flustered the miko had just made his partner. The two of them were making no efforts to be quiet and now there were quite a few scandalized looks being thrown in Father Nightroad's direction. It wasn't every day that someone defiled one of the village mikos and it was quite likely that the news would spread through the entire village by the time the sun had set.

"Fine, we'll continue this later," Kagome said, lowering her voice just enough so that it wouldn't carry beyond the three of them. Fortunately, for all concerned the hut was in sight and soon they'd reach the safety of being indoors. Of course, there was a good chance that it wouldn't be unoccupied when they got inside, which would bring its own problems, but at least the villagers would no longer be an issue.

"Of that I have no doubt," Father Nightroad muttered beneath his breath and then shut his mouth, not really wanting to taunt her into pushing the issue right now.

The rest of the walk was continued in silence and when they finally reached the hut, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief... until they stepped inside anyway.

Five pairs of eyes landed on them the moment the three of them walked through the door and Father Nightroad swore this was what it meant when one mentioned a person as having a 'deer in the headlights' expression. The surprise; however, did not last long and within moments, Sango had all but ordered Shippo to leave the hut. It was then that he knew they were in for it and it was tempting to follow the kit out, at least to spare himself the headache of what was coming. _'Assuming that would work. I'm sure that she would follow and drag me back if she thought it necessary.'_

"Ah, Lady Kagome. It would seem that something has happened to your clothing. Please don't tell me that another monkey demon has made off with them while you were bathing," Miroku said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Oh, he was well aware of just what had happened the moment they'd walked through the door because when Kaede had returned, she'd spoken of the little talk they'd had. Not to mention, she'd cautioned against any of them going after the girl, which, by the looks of things had been very wise advice. Interrupting such a personal moment would have been disastrous for all involved, even if the view would have been rather nice until they'd noticed they had an audience.

The scowl Kagome threw at the monk was cold enough to ice water over. "Don't make me beat you, Miroku," she warned dangerously. It would figure that he was perverse enough to find humor in this, even though his own fiancé looked ready to breathe fire.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, I need to get dressed," she said and hurried out of the room. The sooner she got changed and came back, the faster she could do damage control. If it weren't for the fact that her undressed state was likely to cause more problems than fix, she wouldn't have left the two to face the music alone at all.

"You won't have to," Sango said to the girl's retreating back and smacked the back of Miroku's head in irritation, "Can't you stop being a lecher for even one minute?"

"But, Sango! It was a perfectly valid question," Miroku protested and rubbed the back of his head. It didn't matter that the woman no longer had her Hiraikotsu, she still packed one hell of a punch when she wanted to.

"Will you two shut the hell up?" Inuyasha snapped in irritation. He was ready to pummel the both of them in order to spare himself the headache that he knew was coming. Fortunately, the glower he gave them was enough to cease the squabbling that was about to commence and for that he was grateful.

Now that one problem was solved, Inuyasha turned to the other two thorns in his side, "So, did you finally get it worked out or did Kagome just go through all that for nothing?"

So help him if the Crusnik didn't pull his head out of his ass after all this, he was going to remove the damned thing for him and solve the problem. Sure Kagome would be pissed and hurt, but if it were for the best then he'd do it and deal with the consequences later.

"The problem has been resolved," Tres replied curtly and moved to stand beside the door that Kagome had disappeared through. The slayer kept looking between Father Nightroad and that door, leading him to believe that sooner or later she was going to attempt to confront the miko. That; however, was something he wasn't going to allow to happen, not unless Kagome wanted it. As the girl had said before they'd returned, it didn't matter what any of their teammates thought of the situation, it wasn't their choice.

Although the answer was meant to pacify him, Inuyasha wasn't having any of it. "I want to hear it from him, not you," Inuyasha said, jerking his head towards Father Nightroad. That was the man that had been giving Kagome hell for the past week with his avoidance; he wanted to hear it from the Crusnik's own lips.

"He speaks the truth, we've worked things out," Father Nightroad replied, meeting the hanyou's gaze although guilt still made him want to look away. There were still unanswered questions, but he didn't want to speak them and give Inuyasha a reason to continue the line of questioning if he didn't have to.

Several seconds ticked by while Inuyasha contemplated the priest's answer before he nodded, "Fine. I don't think I have to tell you I think it's pretty fucking stupid that she had to go that far to get you to figure out what the hell you were doing. I can't say I'm happy that she did _that_ in the first place, but I can't keep her on a leash and like she keeps pointing out, she's a big girl. But let's get one thing straight, if you decide all of a sudden that it was a mistake and go back to that shit you were doing before, she's not going to have to worry about how to bring you back in line. I'll remove you from the damned equation and to hell with this bond crap, so you better take good fucking care of her from here on out. Do we understand each other?"

The threat had Father Nightroad bristling, but he knew where the hanyou was coming from so he allowed it to slide, this time. If it hadn't been for the fact that the thought_ had_ crossed his mind in the very beginning he would have taken grave offense to the accusation that he was capable of such a thing in the first place.

"We understand each other perfectly. By the same token, I expect that no one will persecute Kagome for the actions that she's taken. Neither Tres nor myself will tolerate it, so if any of you have any grievances, I suggest you air them to us now, rather than her later. Rest assured that if it happens, we will know about it and take appropriate action," Father Nightroad stated quietly while giving Sango a pointed look. Out of all of them, she was the one he expected the most trouble out of and it was best to address it now, rather than later.

"I don't suppose either of you have thought about how you've just branded her in the eyes of the villagers. It's bad enough that they know she's no longer pure, but then you parade her through the middle of the village like that? Have you no decency?" Sango spoke up, rising to the challenge and seething with the indignation of what had been done to her friend. This was no longer about the bond or what had to be done. She'd heard it enough times from not only Inuyasha and Miroku, but Kaede as well. Now it was the manner in which it had been done in.

"While the circumstance may not have been optimal, there were extenuating circumstances which could not be avoided. As to her status among the villagers, Kagome was never appointed to the position of village priestess. Purity has no bearing on the situation," Tres responded, his voice tight and controlled yet there was an underlying current of vexation. It was clear that he was tired of the posturing that was going on and it wouldn't be long before he put an end to it.

Sango turned her attention to the redhead, her eyes narrowed, and her fists clenched at her sides, "Do you think that really matters? They still know her and they're still going to remember what the two of you are doing to her. Kagome was well respected around here and what you're doing will make her seem like nothing more than a prostitute that you..."

"That's enough!" Inuyasha snapped and glared at the woman, "If you're going to bitch then find something else to harp on. Kagome's reputation here was never as high as you keep making it out to be and you know it. Or do I have to remind you of how often people looked down on her because of the clothing she wore when we were collecting the damned shards!"

"Oh so now you're going back to not caring about her, huh? I should have figured, you did it enough while we were hunting the shards and you continually tore down her self esteem. If I didn't know better I'd say this was all your fault to begin with! She wouldn't have thought about having a relationship like this if it wasn't for that crap you pulled with her and Kikyo!" Sango snarled, venting her anger and frustrations on the hanyou because he made himself an easy target.

"Don't you even bring Kikyo into this, Sango. The problems we had were nowhere near the same as what's going on with Kagome. Are you so pissed at what's happened that you'd malign the dead just to make your damned point?" Inuyasha yelled, standing up to face the woman down.

Sango glared up at the hanyou, her eyes darkening with anger, "It has nothing to do with maligning the dead, Inuyasha! All I'm saying is that if you'd made a damned choice sooner, this never would have happened. Doesn't it bother you that you let Kagome go? It's not like you couldn't have had her if you wanted her, you were just stuck on Kikyo and now look at what's happened!"

"Don't even think to pin Midoriko's actions on me, wench. She's the one that brought them both back with Kagome. She's the one that gave them the damned bond, I had nothing to do with it," Inuyasha retorted hotly, "Sure I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and how things happened between me and Kagome might be one of them, but I'll be damned if I'm taking responsibility for this one. Kagome's made her choice and as long as she's happy then I'm fine with it."

"She might be happy now, but what happens when she realizes what this means for her? People are going to treat her differently than they would otherwise when they learn about the two of them," Sango declared, flinging her arm out towards Tres and Abel for emphasis.

"Don't tell me you think she's going to be walking around with a sign on her back announcing to the world she's got two lovers. Fact of the matter is, they probably won't know what the hell is going on between the three of them unless someone goes running their mouth," Inuyasha snapped. Why the woman was having such a hard time accepting it he would never understand, but then, maybe he wasn't meant to. Long ago Kagome had flipped out on him for asking if he could have both her and Kikyo, leaving him to question if the girl had lost her mind at the time. Now he was beginning to believe it was a prerequisite for women to be overly dramatic. _'It's a female thing, it has to be. They're all crazy and we're doomed to be caught in the middle of their insanity.'_

"Can we get off of the topic of my purity or lack thereof please?" Kagome asked as she walked back into the room. Really, if the villagers hadn't known before they'd come into the hut, they did now with all the yelling that was going on. With a sigh she fixed Sango with a pleading expression, "Look, what's done is done okay? There's no going back, no changing it and there's no reason to blame Inuyasha for this. He didn't do anything, but point out the obvious to us. I'm happy with the way things are, and that's what's important. I'm not asking you to like it, just accept it. Please?"

As much as Sango wanted to continue protesting, to argue that what Kagome was doing was wrong, she knew that it'd be pointless. No one, it would seem, was going to listen to her and Kagome was going to do what she wanted regardless.

"Fine, I'll give you that much, but I don't have to like it," she said in resignation although her voice remained tight with the anger she was holding back. That didn't stop her from giving Tres and Abel one final glare though. No matter what happened, she just couldn't bring herself to forgive the two of them.

"Thank you, Sango," Kagome said and managed to give the other woman a grateful smile. She knew how hard it was on her friend to accept what had happened and why it was so difficult. Times were vastly different from where they both came from. Add into it that she'd been around to contemplate just how important some things were, it gave her a perspective that was far different from most people. Like it or not this was just something Sango would have to accept and while she felt for her friend she wouldn't change this particular outcome if she could.

Now that one problem was solved though, Kagome needed to address another one and it wasn't exactly something that she was comfortable talking about with all the males present. Worry about the future had begun to plague her and it had brought to her attention a problem that needed to be addressed, and quickly. In fact, somehow she doubted that Sango would even have the answer to her question so she turned pleading eyes onto Kaede, "Can we... uh, talk? I've got a rather important question."

Slowly Kaede nodded and pushed herself up off of the floor, beckoning the girl to follow her to one of the back rooms. Surely if the young woman didn't want to bring it up in front of the others it had to be important, or embarrassing. Once they were safely behind a closed door, she looked at Kagome curiously, "What is the question, child?"

"Um, how should I put this?" Kagome asked, squirming under the old woman's scrutinizing gaze, "Is there any... uh, birth control available in this time period. Like a tea or something? I mean, I want a family and all, but until Naraku is gone I don't think it'd be a good idea." That was a bit of an understatement. To get pregnant now would be a disaster they didn't need and with her luck, she'd be lucky if she weren't already from sleeping with Abel once already.

Understanding lit up in Kaede's eye and she nodded, "Aye, Kagome. There are plants that ye can take that would prevent conception from occurring. But ye must be diligent in taking it every day, lest it lose its effectiveness." With that she began to move around towards a chest in the corner of the room and lifted its lid, to access the contents within. "So I take it that yon priest was telling the truth that the problem has been resolved, if ye are asking me for such precautions."

"You could say that," Kagome muttered although she wasn't any more forthcoming with any information. If Kaede was outright asking if her experience had been good enough that there would be a repeat performance, she was just going to have to content herself with whatever answer her imagination was willing to provide, because she was _not_ going into specific details.

"Then I am happy for ye, Kagome," Kaede said and removed two small satchels of herbs from the chest. "This is what ye require. Each morning take a pinch from each and steep it in hot water for three minutes. Be sure to drink it all and if ye miss a day, refrain from any risky activities until the moon travels its full cycle, otherwise I cannot guarantee its effectiveness. I don't think I need to warn ye to avoid indulging in such activities for now until the medicine has had a chance to take effect."

"Thank you, this'll mean one less thing to worry about," Kagome said and took the herbs from her mentor. Now it was just a matter of making sure that the guys understood that until she was certain that the medicine was in effect, they weren't going to be able to have a repeat performance of earlier. _'Well, as far as Abel goes anyway. Poor Tres had to sit there and look, but not touch. I'll have to make it up to him somehow.' _

"Whenever ye need more, come and speak to me. I'll keep a supply on hand," Kaede said and gestured towards the door, "Come, leaving them alone for too long would be unwise."

"Isn't that the truth?" Kagome muttered beneath her breath and followed the old miko back out into the main room. All conversation stopped when they were noticed and it was just as well. It looked as if another argument had been about to begin. Something told her this was going to be a long night.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character death, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: I know this chapter is being posted later than I anticipated, but my beta has been exceptionally busy as of late. So while she's dealing with real life, I asked my good friend BlueUtopiah to beta this chapter. Many thanks to her for taking time out to look this one over for me. I can't promise that the next chapter will be up on schedule since I'm terrible about betaing my own work, but I'll do my best.

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

"Oh, this is heaven," Kagome said, her voice laced with contentment. The hot water was the perfect depth, covering her shoulders, but not any higher which would give her concern over getting her hair wet.

It had been a hard day's travel and even though Inuyasha had asked her more than once if she wanted to take a break, she'd pushed on despite the weariness she'd felt. They'd already lost far too much time waiting on her recovery and she didn't want to give Naraku any more time to scheme if she could help it.

So the relief she'd felt when Inuyasha had not only found a suitable campsite, but one with a hot spring had been immense and she'd wasted no time in collecting her bathing materials. It was too bad that Sango had declined the chance to join her; it would have been nice to have someone to talk to. However, the older woman was still upset over the argument that had happened nearly a week ago.

Of course, she really couldn't blame the woman for being angry to a certain extent. What was happening between her and the two priests was hardly conventional and Sango had been scandalized that she'd accept such a thing. Times were far different here and although her friend was more liberal than most she still believed that Kagome would need to conform to proper standards, especially when one considered the fact that she wasn't returning home to her own time. More than once the slayer had hinted at the fact that sooner or later she was going to have to make a choice and Kagome had borne the brunt of it as much as she could. Eventually though, even her supply of tolerance had worn out much to her friend's surprise.

Unfortunately, when that moment had come everyone happened to be close by when she'd told her friend that while she appreciated her concern, it was her life and if Sango didn't like it she could keep her opinions to herself and butt out. It wasn't long after that that Kagome had begun to regret speaking so harshly to the woman, but there was little she could do about it now. Sooner or later her friend would come around; it was just a matter of time.

That was, of course, if nothing else happened to add fuel to the fire. Inuyasha had certainly contributed his part when he'd snorted and said that it was about damned time she put her foot down. While it had certainly made things worse, Kagome couldn't exactly bring herself to disagree with him. The thinly veiled looks of disgust directed towards Tres and Abel were only going to be tolerated for so long before one of them reacted. While, to a large extent, the Crusnik was a pacifist even he had a breaking point and Kagome really didn't want to see him reach it on her friend. _'I hope she decides to let this go soon. It isn't like it's her life.'_

Speaking of a certain silver-haired priest, she knew that he was lurking nearby even if he hadn't said anything about following her. It had been something she'd gotten rather used to, although it was at times annoying to have a constant shadow._ 'If it's not him, it's Tres. Hopefully once Naraku's dead they'll start to relax some.' _

However, she knew just how likely that was and the knowledge had her sighing in resignation. The attention was sweet and even nice most of the time but it could get a bit overbearing, such as right now while she was trying to enjoy her bath.

"You know, if you're going to stand guard you might as well come over here and talk to me while you're doing it," Kagome called out, knowing that he could hear her easily.

Father Nightroad coughed behind his hand and shook his head. "I don't think that would be wise, Kagome."

While he was certain that the conversation would be nice, and the view even nicer, there was only so much temptation that he could take. The one time in the forest had been the only time they'd been intimate together, yet that once instance plagued his dreams not to mention his waking moments. More than once he'd caught himself contemplating the idea of dragging her off for some alone time, however; he somehow managed to restrain himself. To sit there and watch her bathe was far too much to willingly put himself through. Even though he'd remained celibate for centuries it didn't mean that his desires were nonexistent.

And he was slightly surprised by the fact that Tres had yet to make a move on her, even though he knew the redhead wanted to. For now he would be patient and allow his partner the time he needed to approach the girl. Until then he would watch and wait, biding his time until he could take possession of her once more.

Oblivious to the thoughts pervading the Crusnik's mind, Kagome looked back over her shoulder and raised a brow, "We're not going back to this are we? It's not like you haven't seen me naked before, remember?"

_'So help me, if he is I'm going to march over there and drag him into the water with me, clothes and all!' _The thought had her giggling in amusement._ 'I wonder what it would take to get Tres to help me out.'_

"That's not the point," Father Nightroad said, leaning back against the tree behind him. "Inuyasha was quite adamant about staying alert out here and I think it would be wise to heed the warning."

In fact, the hanyou had given him a look that promised pain if anything should happen to her while he stood watch. More than once Inuyasha had remarked that the lands they were traveling through were known for being home to roving bandits and raiders, the likes of which would see a girl like Kagome and take great pleasure in harassing her... or worse.

"And you can't be vigilant if you're sitting next to me?" Kagome asked, rolling her eyes over the absurdity of the question. "You're no fun."

"I can't help it if you're too much of a temptation," Father Nightroad replied with a laugh and returned to scanning the surrounding area. All was silent for a few more seconds but when Tres caught his attention by gazing towards the pool with a raised eyebrow, he knew Kagome was up to something.

Quickly he turned to look in her direction and, to his surprise, his eyes were immediately drawn to the miko stalking towards him with a towel wrapped around her body and a determined look on her face. "Kagome? What do you think you're doing?"

"Who me? Nothing at all," she said with a grin and continued to advance on him. When she reached the Crusnik she took a solid grip on his jacket and looked over to Tres. "Wanna give me a hand? Abel looks a bit... hot underneath all this clothing. I think he needs to go for a swim and cool down some."

"You can't be serious," Father Nightroad protested with a laugh and swatted at her hands which had begun pulling at him insistently. There was no way that the woman could hope to move him but if she somehow managed to enlist Tres' help, it was a new ballgame. No, he _really_ didn't want to have to walk around in damp clothing for the rest of the day.

Tres looked at her curiously and then glanced at Father Nightroad who was shaking his head rather vigorously. "The water temperature of the spring greatly exceeds the current air temperature which defeats the purpose of cooling him down." Of course, he knew that wasn't quite what she meant but he really didn't want to have to listen to the Crusnik bemoan the fact that his clothing was wet for no good reason. However, if it had been up to him, he would have dealt with the consequences of entering the water with her. No doubt the reward for doing so would have been more than worth it.

"I swear, you two just aren't any fun today," Kagome said with a pout and then sighed, "And here I walked _all _this way for nothing. That's gratitude for you."

"Heaven forbid," Father Nightroad said with an expression of mock dismay, "How could I ever have been so thoughtless? Here, let me make it up to you, my lady."

The way he'd spoken surprised Kagome for a moment while she pondered just what he meant by _making it up to her_. Unfortunately realization of just what he was planning came an instant too late, just when he'd managed to pick her up and sling her over his shoulder.

"Wait! What do you think you're doing? Put me down!" Kagome shrieked from her awkward position, dangling helplessly with only his hand to hold her steady. The look of amusement she could see on Tres' face certainly wasn't helping matters either and when she scowled at him, his smirk only seemed to widen. "Dammit, I said put me down!"

"As you wish, my dear," Father Nightroad said with a grin, just as he reached the edge of the springs and prepared to give her what she had asked for.

"No, not like that! Don't you dare, you..." Kagome started, her voice growing with intensity when he began to haul her off his shoulder. She never got to finish the sentence however because of the way he casually dropped her into the water. Her shriek of indignation filled the air moments before she went under and a heartbeat later she came up sputtering, "You jerk! Just wait 'til I get my hands on you!"

As if it wasn't bad enough that her only towel was soaked, her hair was as well. _'It's going to take forever to dry now. Ohhhh he's going to pay for that!' _Carefully she climbed out of the pool a second time, clutching at the waterlogged towel so that it didn't fall to the ground. _'He's so going down!'_

With her thoughts hell-bent on revenge, Kagome began stalking towards him menacingly, seething when he chuckled at her audacity. _'I'll show him. If I have to go with wet hair half the night, then he should too!' _Water dripped down her body in thin rivulets from the towel which she fully intended to whip off and toss over his head, just before she booted him headfirst into the hot springs.

However she didn't get more than a few feet before she was hauled off the ground a second time and her eyes went wide with shock. "What in the hell!"

"Release her now!" Tres demanded coldly and drew his guns on the two strangers that had appeared in their midst. However, before he could sight it on them, a wolf launched itself at his arm and he was forced to take evasive action to avoid receiving a nasty bite.

"Ginta, get her the hell out of here, now," Kouga shouted to his pack mate and turned his attention to the two men his wolves were distracting. Angrily, he cracked his knuckles and prepared to beat some ass. "Looks like it's my lucky day, two for the price of one."

The shriek that followed from Kagome had Tres springing into action, quick to stop the strange demon from abducting the miko. The Crusnik, however, stood frozen for several long moments while memories that he'd tried to forget assaulted his mind. The scent of blood tickled his senses and held him in thrall, helpless against the visions he was being forced to endure. _'Not again, oh please, not again.' _The thought raced through his mind but his pleas went ignored as he was forced to remember how Cain had lifted Lilith's severed head into his view, smiling almost gently as he spoke of how he'd removed her from the equation. It brought back the sickening reality that the woman he had loved had been taken from him and it seemed to be destined to happen yet again.

"No!" Father Nightroad screamed in negation and clutched at his hair, trying to banish the images from his mind. It was too late to save Lilith but Kagome was still alive and he could feel her fear and anger surging through their bond. He would not allow the past to repeat itself and to that end he moved into action.

"Hurry, Tres," he shouted, although he knew the man would do everything in his power to save the miko. He would stand his ground here and stop the dark-haired demon in front of him. Whatever plans they had for Kagome, he wouldn't allow them to carry them out. Whoever this person was who thought they could take Kagome from them was courting a swift death and he'd be happy to grant them that release. "Nanomachine Crusnik 02, power output sixty percent, activate."

The shouted order was unnecessary since Tres was already following the demon that had made off with the miko. Although they were moving quickly, he knew that he could easily catch them and if he had a clean shot for a kill he wasn't about to hesitate in taking it. More than once the four-legged beasts thought to get in his way but he dispatched them quickly, leaving their corpses along the path to be devoured by scavengers later.

Rage and fear battered at his mind from two different sources, spurring him on to greater speeds. Kagome was positively terrified and he wasn't about to let the demon get away with harming her. Although it was difficult, he trained the laser sighting on the back of the demon's head and took careful aim before squeezing off a round. However, the bullet was dodged at the last instant, sparing the other man's life at least for the time being.

"Dammit, Ginta! Put me down!" Kagome growled and pushed at the wolf demon's shoulders. Things were getting rapidly out of hand and someone was going to get killed if she didn't put a stop to it soon. The blood lust pouring through the bond was almost enough to daze her and she knew it was only going to get worse.

"No can do, Sis. Don't worry, Kouga will take care of the one," Ginta said, picking up speed. "This other guy will lose interest soon." Or so he'd hoped anyway. If not, then Kouga would be able to take care of him once he got rid of the other man who'd been harassing the miko. Now he was glad that Kouga had decided they needed to pay the group a visit. There was no telling what would have happened to Kagome otherwise.

"Like hell he will," Kagome retorted and began squirming in his grasp. This was one time she was glad that she was still wet because, if nothing else, it made his grip on her tenuous at best. Unfortunately, she soon learned just how painful it was to land on the hard ground, especially when a wolf demon in armor happened to sprawl on top of you. "Oh God, get off of me," she moaned, feeling like she'd just been run over by a truck.

Seeing the man on top of Kagome only served to further Tres' irritation. "Remove yourself from her personage now," he ordered coldly, sighting his gun on the back of the demon's head. The moment that he had a clear shot he fully intended on taking it, all he needed was the male to move just another couple of inches.

"Don't do it, Tres!" Kagome gasped, sitting up when the weight was removed from her chest. The cold anger in the redhead's eyes told her that he fully intended on eliminating the target and she couldn't let that happen. Ginta was a lot of things but an enemy wasn't one of them.

The plea was enough to stay his hand for a moment but that didn't mean it would stop it forever. "Status report, Kagome," he said, never taking his eyes off of his target. He'd seen how hard they'd both went down and he wasn't looking forward to hearing the list of injuries with how rocky the ground was.

"I'm fine, just don't shoot him," Kagome said and moved in between the two of them knowing that Tres wouldn't fire with her in the way. "He's... one of our friends." She could see the skepticism in the priest's eyes but at least he'd lowered the gun. That gave her enough breathing room to look at Ginta in irritation. "What the hell were you thinking? Haven't you two learned by now that you just don't kidnap people?"

"But we heard you screaming and thought you were in trouble," Ginta said, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. He'd seen Kagome irate before and it looked like she was well on her way towards one of her infamous tirades. "I guess... we were wrong?"

"You're damned right you were wrong. You could have gotten killed!" Kagome shouted at him, her anger coming full force now that the danger had passed. "So help me, the next person who thinks it's a good idea to kidnap me is going to get a subjugation necklace like Inuyasha's!"

"But with all the trouble that's been happening, we were worried," Ginta said, cringing when she seemed to stare straight through him. He could almost see the flames of hell coming to claim him, if not by her hand then by the tall redhead standing behind her. That reminded him, Kouga was off fighting the other man and there was no one to tell him that Kagome had never been in any real danger. "Umm," he began nervously, "We should go stop Kouga... before things really get out of hand."

"As if they weren't already," Kagome muttered and made a couple of quick adjustments to her towel to make sure it was firmly in place. "Come on, we need to hurry." Thankfully they hadn't traveled all that far, but the terrain that Kagome had to cross barefoot had her cursing until Tres picked her up. This time she didn't complain because she knew they would make far better time if they didn't have to wait on her.

Still, it seemed to be taking forever to get back to the hot springs but she couldn't yell at Tres to run faster. _'At this rate it'll be over by the time we get there. Dammit, I hope that Inuyasha's figured out what's going on. If anyone else can stop them, it'll be him.'_

Fortunately for all involved, Inuyasha had felt it the instant that Father Nightroad had activated the nanomachines. The energy spike in the air told him that something was wrong and the electrical storm that followed moments later had confirmed it. "Shit, what now?" he growled and leapt off in the direction of the hot springs without bothering to tell the others where he was going. It had to be bad if the Crusnik had unleashed that much power and he was almost dreading finding out what had caused it.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," he exclaimed when he arrived on the scene. Kagome was nowhere to be found and Tres had vanished as well. As if that wasn't surprising enough, Father Nightroad was squaring off with Kouga and doing a damned good job of keeping the wolf on the defensive. "What the hell is going on here?" he shouted, trying to get at least one of their attentions.

"It's about damned time you showed up!" Kouga yelled and leapt backwards, just narrowly avoiding getting eviscerated by the scythe his opponent had seemingly conjured out of nowhere. Whatever the hell he'd been thinking when he'd first saw the male, it sure as hell hadn't been what he'd ended up with. The fucker was fast, impossibly fast, and without the jewel shards in his legs there was no hope of outmaneuvering him. Blood already flowed from numerous injuries and it was all he could do to keep them to non-vital areas.

"What'd you do to piss him off and where the hell is Kagome?" Inuyasha growled, his mind racing in an attempt to figure out how to put an end to this fight. It was more than obvious that Kouga was outmatched and it wouldn't be long before the Crusnik struck a killing blow._ 'Something had to push him over the edge; he hasn't even noticed I'm here yet. He's too focused on that damned wolf.'_

Being forced to duck from a weapon arcing through the air, lest he end up beheaded, Kouga was unable to answer right away. Several inches of his hair fell to the ground, severed cleanly by the scythe, causing him to curse beneath his breath. "Ginta's got her," he said at last and poured his energy into the Goraishi claws. Several bolts of lightning began streaking towards his opponent; however, it had absolutely no effect on him and Kouga knew that he was running out of options.

"Well that explains everything, you dumbass," Inuyasha swore and drew the Tetsusaiga. Now that he knew what the hell the problem was, it was up to him to fix it. Without giving a thought to just how the hell he was going to snap the Crusnik out of his blood rage, Inuyasha leapt into the fray._ 'Dammit, I hope Tres manages to get her back without killing that fool or we're going to have a hell of a time dealing with Kagome after this.'_

Thankful for the breather, Kouga moved out of the way so that Inuyasha could deal with the problem although he had no intention of staying out of it for long. "I'm the dumbass? Just what the hell were you doing while Kagome was being molested by scum like this?" he snarled. It if wasn't for the fact that it would be a massive blow to his pride to abandon a fight, he would have already left to make sure that Ginta wasn't having problems with the other male that had followed them.

Viciously Inuyasha pushed back against the scythe and stared Father Nightroad down. At least the man had paused in his attacks and seemed to be listening for the moment, even if the fury in his eyes hadn't abated in the least. "Shit, if they were molesting her it's because she wanted them to," he said with a snort and waited for the cry of indignation that he knew was coming.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kouga shouted, his expression one of pure disgust. He didn't know what the hell Inuyasha was going on about but he was beginning to wonder if the hanyou had lost his damned mind.

"It's a long story, but you brought this on yourself, you idiot. You'd just better hope that Kagome manages to convince Tres not to kill Ginta or your pack is going to be down another member," Inuyasha replied curtly, never taking his eyes off of the Crusnik. "Hey Nightroad, you in there?"

Slowly the Crusnik lowered his weapon but he wasn't about to allow his power levels to return to normal, at least not until Kagome was returned to them. However, he was well aware of the conversation taking place, even if he hadn't said anything as of yet. Clearly this was one of Kagome's misguided friends, one with a death wish by the looks of it. "If your partner has harmed her," he said at last, his eyes narrowing in fury towards the wolf in question, "I'll make sure that your death is torturous enough that it will haunt you in your next life and every one thereafter."

Immediately Kouga bristled under the threat. "Like hell. Ginta wouldn't hurt Kagome so you can keep your damned threats to yourself. I don't know what the hell you are but don't go making threats you can't back up."

"Dear God, what is this, another pissing contest?" Kagome asked, sliding out of Tres' arms to stand on her own. "Kouga, do us all a favor and just stop, alright?" The sight of him battered and bloody had her gnawing her lower lip in worry, but the situation was tenuous at best and to go rushing towards him was likely to start another fight. The most important thing right now was to calm everyone down, including Abel, who looked ready to lop off her friend's head.

"Dammit, we were just worried about you, Kagome. What are you doing hanging around these two anyway? With the way you screamed I thought you were being attacked," Kouga groused, not at all pleased that Kagome had stepped into the middle of it all and immediately tried to put him in his place.

"If you want to call being tossed in the water attacked. Look, let's just chalk this up to a misunderstanding and move on. I'd like to get dressed sometime soon and I can't do it with all of you standing here," Kagome said and looked at them expectantly._ 'I don't even want to think about how I'm going to get this dirt off of me. Looks like I'm going to be wearing wet clothes after all.'_

"Come on, Kouga. Let's give her some privacy, she'll follow along in a bit and then you can tell us why the hell you're here," Inuyasha said and slid the Tetsusaiga back into its scabbard. It was going to take the wolf a few minutes to limp back into camp and then it was virtually guaranteed that he was going to be spending the night. Afterwards he'd continue on his way and Inuyasha would be able to breathe a sigh of relief. He couldn't say he was looking forward to explaining just how things worked between Kagome and the two priests. _'There's no way in hell he's gonna take that one well.'_

"Alright, just give me a minute dog breath," Kouga said and gestured to Ginta, who had been standing beside Kagome the entire time looking as if she'd threatened him with a fate worse than death. It became clear within the first few steps towards camp though that there were two fewer members to the entourage than he expected. Slowly he turned to face the men he had yet to be introduced to and gave them a disgusted look. "Oy, you two, she said all of us so move your asses."

"They're exempt from that order," Kagome remarked dryly and waved him away, much to Kouga's consternation. Considering what just happened, she didn't have a chance in hell of asking Tres or Abel to leave her alone to get dressed; so she wouldn't bother just to spare herself the headache. Hell, she still had one rather irate Crusnik watching Inuyasha lead the two wolf demons off.

Once they were out of sight, she quickly peeled the towel off and dunked it in the water to clean it of the dirt that it had acquired in the tumble. Satisfied that it was as clean as she was going to get it, Kagome began scrubbing down the smudges of dirt that streaked her skin in an attempt to make herself at least somewhat presentable. Throughout the process she could feel the two of them staring at her; however, they just didn't have time to play around.

Dropping the towel, Kagome snatched up her clean clothing and began dressing as quickly as possible. While she wasn't exactly looking forward to finding out just why Kouga and Ginta had shown up, she knew that things would only remain peaceful back at camp for so long which meant they'd better hurry.

While she set about tying her shoes she gave Father Nightroad a considering look. "Should I bother asking if you're going to power down anytime soon?" she asked, somehow already knowing the answer. While she could feel that he was firmly in control, he was still quite angry over the fact that someone had tried to make off with her. _'The kidnapping thing is getting old real fast. What is it with those two anyway?'_

The look that the Crusnik gave her was enough to make her sigh in resignation. "Didn't think so. Come on, we should go before those two kill each other." Easily, she pushed herself to her feet and began walking back towards camp only to be closely flanked by two overprotective males. _'Guess there's no such thing as elbow room after this, is there?'_

While the rest of the walk was done in complete silence, it became glaringly obvious that the others in their group didn't enjoy such peace. Long before they actually reached camp they heard raised voices echoing through the forest, causing Kagome to shake her head in annoyance.

"Not even five minutes and they're already fighting. I suppose I should be grateful that Inuyasha won't beat the hell out of him... at least not while he's injured, I hope," she said, praying that the hanyou retained at least that much restraint, although she was well aware of just how long that would last.

"These instances occur frequently?" Tres asked, assessing the situation as they walked. Despite what Kagome had said about them being friends, the attitude that Inuyasha was displaying spoke of something other than feelings of acceptance and amiability. _'Closer observation of the situation is necessary. Clearly her comrades have shown a lack of self preservation where she is concerned.'_

The question had Kagome nodding, although it wasn't with much enthusiasm, "Every chance they get it seems. If it hadn't been you fighting with him, Abel, it would have been Inuyasha instead, even if I would have escaped the trip halfway across the countryside in a towel. I think it's a compulsion between those two, they can't help themselves."

Tres considered her words and nodded once in understanding. Inuyasha had never struck him as the tolerant type and if Kouga had managed to rile even _him_ up in such a short time frame, he wasn't sure how the hanyou dealt with the wolf. One thing was for certain though, if Kouga had any thoughts about running off with Kagome again not even Inuyasha would be able to save him. After what the wolf demon had attempted, he wouldn't consider him anything other than a potential threat that needed to be observed carefully and eliminated if it became necessary.

Any further conversation in that vein was stopped when they arrived on the edge of camp and came face to face with the two canines squaring off. Immediately Kagome stepped away from Tres and Abel and began marching straight into the fray.

"Alright, that's enough. Haven't the two of you had enough fighting for one day?" she snapped, feeling a headache beginning to build.

"Keh, took you long enough. It's not my fault the idiot couldn't sit down and shut up while you got dressed," Inuyasha snorted and resumed sitting down in the spot he'd chosen earlier.

"If you would have told me what the hell was going on, maybe I would have," Kouga retorted angrily. "It's not my fault your lips are closed tighter than a duck's ass when it comes to answering a damned question."

The odd statement had Miroku raising a brow in amusement and leaning closer to Father Nightroad to whisper, "Do we dare ask just how he would know how tight a duck's ass is?"

"I heard that, you damned pervert!" Kouga yelled in indignation and tried to lever himself up so he could go pound on the monk for that little comment. However, he didn't get very far before Kagome shoved him back to the ground, forcing him to peer up at her. "Awww, Kagome, I wasn't going to hurt him... much."

"Oh please, right now you shouldn't be fighting at all," Kagome retorted and knelt down beside Kouga to assess the damage that he'd sustained. The cuts marring his skin were deep and ordinarily she'd determine that they needed to be stitched; however, she knew that would be pointless since he'd be fully recovered by morning anyway. "Shippo, can you bring me the first aid kit?"

"No problem, Kagome," Shippo replied and darted over to the bag of supplies to rummage through it.

"Thank you, Shippo," she said before turning her attention back to her patient. "So, drama aside, why are you here, Kouga?"

"Hn, I came to warn you all. That little bitch Kanna is still running around and she's started targeting the wolf packs. The only thing we can figure is it's in retaliation for killing her master. As soon as we realized that you all were nearby, we decided you should know, just in case you came across her," he said, ignoring the pain of his wounds while Kagome worked on bandaging them. Then, a thought struck him and he looked over to Inuyasha. "Speaking of which, why the hell are you guys so far out here anyway?"

"You could say it ties in with your little problem. You know how you mentioned Naraku?" Inuyasha asked and waited until Kouga nodded. "Well, the bastard ain't dead like we thought he was."

"How is that even possible?" Kouga snarled in anger. "This better not be some sort of sick joke, dog breath, cause if it is, it damned sure isn't funny." The thought that Naraku was still alive had him clenching his fists and blood poured from the wounds his nails made. "We watched Kagome blow his ass up. His regeneration abilities might have been good but not that damned good!"

"Yeah, that's what we thought, but the bastard is back and I bet Kanna is working on his orders. With everyone thinking he's dead, it makes it a hell of a lot easier for him to hide if people ain't looking for him," Inuyasha said with disgust. Nothing had changed in dealing with that damned demon and if it hadn't been for Kagome returning, they never would have known until it was too late.

Kouga opened his mouth to say something and then stopped, considering Inuyasha's words. "So wait," he began, "if he's letting everyone believe he's still dead then how the hell can you be so sure he's still alive? You haven't seen him, have you?"

In his mind it was one thing to base it on a sighting, or something they could be absolutely certain on, but if this was pure speculation it became a whole different story. One rogue detachment working on her own would be a hell of a lot easier to deal with than both her and her godforsaken creator.

"Inuyasha hasn't but I have," Kagome said quietly and tied off the last of the bandages in place. She hoped it would be enough; she really didn't want to have to go through the entire explanation with him, considering just how draining each retelling was.

It was then that Kouga realized that they spoke the truth and weren't going on suppositions because he knew that Kagome wouldn't say such a thing unless it was the truth. "Where did you see him?" he asked firmly. If he had a basic idea of where the bastard was last spotted, it might point in the direction that he was hiding in.

"She saw him in her own time at her home a couple of days after she left Kaede's village," Inuyasha spoke up. This much at least he could do for her; he really didn't want to have to watch her relive the horrors of that particular day and in his mind Kouga had no need to know all the particulars anyway.

"Damn. Well, I'm glad he didn't see you, Kagome. He probably thought he could get his revenge while no one was around. It's a good thing you came back when you did," Kouga remarked, not noticing the way the girl had gone quiet.

"Yeah, lucky her," Inuyasha remarked almost derisively, hoping that would put an end to that particular part of the conversation. Explaining how she'd died and come back would put the girl through needless anguish and there was no point to it.

Kouga looked at Inuyasha almost questioningly but it seemed like the hanyou wasn't going to elaborate on the cryptic statement, much to his annoyance. However, if the man wasn't going to be forthcoming on that particular subject there were other topics that he wanted answers to, starting with the two men sitting across from him. "So what's their story?" he asked with an arrogant jerk of his head in their direction.

"They're the ones that saved me from Naraku," Kagome offered up as an explanation. It wasn't exactly a lie, considering that she'd still be dead if it wasn't for them and the Duchess' help. That wasn't even taking into account the countless times they'd both protected her since the three of them had arrived in the past. Now, she watched him for a moment silently praying he would accept the answer and let it go.

The statement had Kouga looking at Tres and Abel with speculation. The miko had never mentioned the two men before but it was clear that they saw themselves as some sort of guardians by the way they'd positioned themselves beside her. Slowly he nodded, accepting the explanation. "I guess I should thank the two of you for protecting her for me then. If I would have known that Naraku had still been alive I never would have allowed her out of my sight."

With a sigh, Inuyasha glared at the wolf demon. "Don't even start with that 'my woman' crap, not unless you want to go another round with Nightroad there and next time I won't bother stopping him from cutting your mangy ass into bits." He could only imagine just how the two priests would take hearing Kouga brandish about that half-assed claim on her that he was so fond of saying, and while it might be amusing to watch at the moment they just didn't have the time.

"I'll say whatever the hell I want, dumbass. I told Kagome that when she came back I'd still be waiting on her and that ain't changed just because they showed up. You can be sure that I'm not leaving her side now that I know Naraku's alive," Kouga stated curtly. Just because Kagome had gotten herself two more protectors didn't mean he was going to shirk his duty to her either.

"Who the hell said you were invited to come with us?" Inuyasha asked with irritation. Even though the wolf had managed to be of some help during the last fight with Naraku, it didn't mean that he was going to welcome the other male with open arms either. Now that they had Tres and Nightroad with them, they could easily make up for whatever aid Kouga might have been able to give them and he wanted the wolf to be sure to know that fact.

"In case you haven't noticed, I don't need an invite," Kouga snarled and geared up for the fight that he knew was coming. "I'm the one who knows where Kanna had been sighted so unless you want to hunt the country side on your own for the next two years, you're going to need my help."

"You couldn't find a trace of Naraku either in over five damned years so what makes now any different? If we had any need for you at all, it'd be as bait, you idiot," Inuyasha retorted, fully aware that he was setting the wolf demon on edge and not caring in the least.

"Bait! I'll show you bait, you arrogant jackass," Kouga snarled in anger and made a move to stand up. Just because he was injured didn't mean that he'd let someone like Inuyasha continue to insult him like that. In spite of the pain that raced through his arms, he began levering himself up off the ground, fully intending on pummeling the hanyou into the dirt.

"That's quite enough," Kagome snapped, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared the two of them down. "You two need to stop acting like children and get back on the blasted subject! Kouga, where is Kanna? If we find her then there's a good chance that we can find Naraku."

The sheer anger that he saw in Kagome's expression had Kouga pausing for a moment before lowering himself back to the ground. For her, he'd put his differences with Inuyasha aside because he knew that if the hanyou kept pushing, the miko would deal with him quickly. Neither of them wanted to be on the bad side of that woman's wrath.

"She's been spotted in the forest bordering the volcanic fields. Occasionally she'll venture further into the wolves' territory but most often she waits until she comes across a hunting party. All we find of their remains are the soulless bodies... assuming the scavengers have left them in one piece," Kouga said after a moment.

"You mean where Totousai lives?" Shippo asked, considering what he remembered of the area. Most of it was fairly flat and uninhabitable, but if you ventured deep enough into the fields there were mountain ridges that were riddled with caves. It would be a perfect place for Naraku to hole himself up.

"Yeah, although when I last talked to the old man he hadn't seen a trace of her. He didn't mention Naraku either so I doubt that the bastard is parading himself around. He's letting that little bitch do his dirty work while he recovers from the massive ass kicking we gave him," Kouga replied quickly. "If we left tomorrow, we could reach the edge of the fields in just over a week, maybe less if we move fast."

"We? What's this 'we' shit? You got a mouse stuffed up your ass that we don't know about or something?" Inuyasha asked and crossed his arms. He still didn't want the complications that would come from Kouga tagging along with them. It was bad enough watching the two priests glued to the miko's ass, but to throw Kouga into the mix? He'd be tempted to throw all three of them off a damned cliff before an hour of travel had passed.

"I already told you, I'm going and that's the end of it," Kouga retorted quickly and turned his attention back to Kagome. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that Naraku doesn't even get close enough to hurt you."

"That's nice of you to offer, Kouga, but won't you be needed to warn the other wolves about Kanna, just in case we can't find her right away?" Kagome asked while praying that her friend would think better of his idea of following them. Not that his help wouldn't be appreciated but she didn't know if her frazzled nerves would be able to take him and Inuyasha together again for such a length of time.

The question was brushed off with a wave of his hand, "Nah, everyone's on high alert now and keeping an eye out for her. There's no need for me to head back now; besides, someone's gotta keep an eye out for you and I'm just the person for the job."

Although Miroku had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, he figured now would be a good time to speak up. Politely he cleared his throat and waited until he had everyone's attention. "They might be aware of Kanna's presence, but we're the only ones that know about Naraku. Do you not think it would be prudent to warn them that he is still alive?"

"Huh." Kouga was forced to stop and consider. While he could send Ginta to warn them, his words wouldn't carry as much weight and he'd likely be questioned, if not brushed off completely. It was a troublesome complication but one that had to be dealt with. If Naraku had sent Kanna after the packs, then there was a chance that he might take to attacking himself if he realized his secret was uncovered. "Alright, you have a point, monk. I guess that means in the morning we'll be heading off to warn the packs but make no mistake. Once that's done, I'll be coming back so don't you guys get any bright ideas about taking Naraku on by yourselves."

Seeing that Inuyasha was about to open his mouth and tell Kouga just where to shove that particular thought, Miroku gave him a look that had the hanyou falling silent. "It'll take us at least a week and a half to reach the area where we believe Naraku might be hiding since part of our party is injured. I'm sure with how quickly you travel you can make it back long before we have any chance of engaging the enemy."

"Wait a minute," Kouga said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Who's injured?" Critically he looked over the entire group, trying to discern just who Miroku was talking about. Clearly it wasn't Inuyasha or that bastard he'd fought earlier; that one had moved far too fast to be hindered in such a way.

"Oh, that would be Father Tres," Kagome interjected immediately, not wanting to add herself to the list and give Kouga more of a reason to insist on staying. "It was my fault really, since I fell on him, but he's doing much better. A couple more weeks and he'll be good as new."

With that statement, Tres looked over at the miko curiously; however, he decided against mentioning that she'd taken as much damage as he had, if not more so. He wasn't any happier about the possibility of this particular demon hanging around with the group either and he knew that Father Nightroad was of a like mind. Although the Crusnik had seemingly calmed down he could still feel the anger in him lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for a reason to be unleashed.

"I guess it's a good thing there's two of them then since he won't be much good in a fight if he's banged up," Kouga said, dismissing Tres out of hand. Yet the fact that he'd been more than enough to stop Ginta made him sigh, as good of a friend as the other demon was he was woefully lacking when it came to being a skilled fighter.

"I'm sure that Father Tres is quite capable of taking care of any enemies that we might encounter. It is not wise to discount his abilities," Miroku advised, seeing the way Tres' eyes had narrowed at the insult. In fact, Miroku was quite certain that the man would be more than happy to demonstrate those abilities, although it would likely mean that Kouga would be nothing more than a memory once the purification finished its work.

"I guess," Kouga replied although he didn't sound entirely convinced. Still, if nothing else it was better than just Inuyasha looking over her. Kagome was a magnet for trouble and needed all the protection that she could get. "So that settles it then, Ginta and I will return to the packs to warn them in the morning. That shouldn't take more than a few days; it'll give me more than enough time to get back to help you with Naraku."

"Like we're gonna wait up for you," Inuyasha grumbled beneath his breath, just loud enough for the wolf to hear him. Even though the injuries Tres had sustained slowed him down to a certain extent, something told him that the man would be more than eager to push his own body if it meant leaving Kouga in the dust. Kagome was the only unknown factor then and if it came down to it, Inuyasha had no qualms about carrying her.

"Keh, like you're fast enough to out pace me anyway, dog breath," Kouga shot back, clearly unimpressed with Inuyasha's comment. The hanyou might be fast enough to keep a decent speed going, but the humans in the party weren't and that was all the advantage he needed. It just wasn't something he was going to worry about, so instead he turned to the miko. "So, what's my woman going to cook for me tonight?"

"Keh, _their_ woman ain't cooking _you_ shit," Inuyasha remarked, making sure that Kouga couldn't miss the way he'd stressed the two words, "If you want to eat, find something for yourself. She ain't waiting hand and foot on you."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, horrified that the man would say something so bluntly in order to cause yet _another_ outburst. Sure enough, the way Kouga had turned to look at her would have been laughable if it had been anyone but her. As it was, it looked as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head as he stared at her obviously waiting for the denial of the words that he was sure was coming.

"What? He was gonna find out sooner or later. It's better to get it out of the way now," Inuyasha said smugly and turned towards the wolf demon. "Their claims supercede yours. Tough luck, ain't it?"

"Just when and how the hell did that happen?" Kouga yelled, his gaze swinging wildly from Kagome to the two newcomers as his fists clenched by his sides in rage. Angrily, he stared at the two men, one looked rather smug while the other was completely unreadable.

"I'm going to get you for this," Kagome hissed angrily at the hanyou who only grinned at her. _'How in the hell am I supposed to explain this one?'_ Clearly she couldn't just brush this little problem off because there was no way that Kouga was going to let it go. _'Where's Naraku when I need him? Or a giant hole to swallow me up again.'_

"You can try," Inuyasha said and leaned back against the tree trunk. If nothing else, this would make Kouga positively miserable and that in itself would brighten his own day just a little bit more. Even if it meant that Kagome would make the next couple of days hell for him, it was worth it.

"Perhaps I should be the one to explain," Miroku said, interrupting the yelling match that was about to start. It had only taken one look from the miko for him to take pity on her, even though he'd much rather be indulging in something that wasn't so stressful. With a sigh he looked into Kouga's irate face. _'Perhaps it would be best if I kept a list of all the favors they're going to owe me by the time this trip is finished. At the rate that they're going, they'll be lucky if we're ever even again.'_


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Working Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character death, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank BlueUtopiah and Madmiko for taking the time to beta this chapter. I'm hoping to have the next one up on schedule, but I can't make any guarantees. As many people know, tropical storm Fay is currently on her way through Florida and within the past 48 hours she's dumped 25 inches of rain where I live. Needless to say, our house flooded and we managed to get ourselves, the pets and some of the electronics out of the house. The rest is a complete loss and we're currently ensconced in a hotel room. The next update will depend greatly upon where we're staying at that point in time, and whether or not we have internet access yet. Thank you to everyone for your patience and for your reviews.

Second Note: This is the edited version of this chapter. The full version, complete with lemon can be found on mediaminer and Aff.

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

Although little more than a week had transpired since their last encounter with Kouga, Inuyasha was dreading the passing of each day because he knew that it wouldn't be long before the wolf demon joined them again. As such, he'd pushed them all as hard as possible in an effort to put as much distance between the group and the direction that his rival had vanished in, even though it was a faint hope at best that it would put the other male off for long.

_'I don't care how much the idiot wants to help, if he gets in my way he's getting his ass kicked all the way back to those caves of his. Not even Kagome will stop me this time, not if she doesn't want to have to deal with her two guard dogs getting pissed. I didn't think it was possible but they just might hate that jackass more than I do.'_ Not that another physical confrontation would have surprised him any, not when the two priests took their job of protecting Kagome so seriously. Once you added the convoluted love triangle into it that they had going on, kidnapping the girl in the middle of her bath had left hard feelings all around.

In fact, Inuyasha was willing to lay money on the fact that Nightroad would have been more than happy to kill Kouga had he not stepped in and broken up the fight. The animosity lingering between the two had been palpable and everyone had breathed a sigh of relief when the wolf finally left. But not knowing exactly when the man was going to return still put everyone on edge and it was beginning to show in the way that tempers were rising. _'As much as I hate to do it, we might have to take a day off soon. Totousai's place isn't too far into the volcanic fields and there's a chance the fool might have heard something.'_

However, before that was a possibility they had to get there first which meant another couple of hours of walking. At least they were getting closer though, he could tell by the increasing scent of sulfur in the air. Gods only knew how the swordsmith could stand to live in such conditions for so long, the smell alone was enough to give him a headache, but there was no way of avoiding it. So far no one had complained; however, with this group it was only a matter of time before the subject was brought up. _'I just hope I don't end up having to bash heads together once it does'._

"Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha called out to the miko, "How you holding up over there?" Although more than one person had suggested that she ride Kirara now that they were getting into rockier terrain, Kagome had resisted their efforts and insisted on walking on her own.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha," Kagome replied, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. It was sweet that he was so concerned over her well being, but with her injury almost completely healed she didn't see the need for the special treatment. Only when the muscle in her leg began to cramp up to the point of being unbearable did she give in to their urgings and right now she just wasn't at that point yet.

The urge to roll his eyes was strong but somehow Inuyasha managed to resist for the moment. There was no point in provoking her, not when she seemed so hell-bent on proving that she was completely recovered from her injuries. "Just don't overdo it alright? It's another hour until we leave this damned forest and then at least an hour more before we reach Totousai's. We can rest there for the night, I'm sure the old geezer will..."

Kagome looked up sharply when the hanyou trailed off and her eyes narrowed. Something had obviously grabbed his attention if the way that he was staring off into the distance was anything to go by. "What do you see?"

Instead of answering Inuyasha gave Kagome a stern look. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

With that he began running, leaving the others behind. The faint sounds of battle reached his ears with the shifting of the breeze and it brought with it a long familiar scent, Sesshoumaru. Although he had no real desire to help his half-brother out, he needed to know whether or not their own journey was going to be impeded by the fact that the other demon was there. Not to mention, if something had managed to engage him in a fight it was likely that they'd be similarly detained as well.

"Oh, he did not just tell us to stay here. Come on," Kagome snapped, taking off after the hanyou. _'Whatever got his attention, it has to be important. Is it Naraku?' _There was a distinct chance that it was either him or Kanna, neither of which Inuyasha was prepared to deal with on his own. The Tetsusaiga was a powerful weapon but that wouldn't stop him from getting his soul sucked out by that damned mirror if the void-demoness was around.

As expected, Sango and Miroku followed her immediately, as did Tres and Shippo. Only Father Nightroad seemed to second guess her decision although he quickly caught up with her, determined not to be left behind.

"Kagome, are you sure this is the wisest course of action?" he asked, giving her a slightly worried look. Whatever had caused Inuyasha to take off had to be serious and he'd told her to stay behind for a reason. _The girl was not a fighter, in fact she was far from it despite the amount of determination that she had_. It was best if she stayed away from the fight and left the battling to those who were trained for combat, but he also knew that she wouldn't settle for staying on the sidelines.

"Stuff it," Kagome snapped while she ran, barely giving the Crusnik a sideways glance. "If it's Naraku, Inuyasha won't be able to handle him on his own. Do you really want to just stand by waiting to become a target because the jerk wouldn't tell us where he was going?" That had happened to her far too often in the past and she wasn't about to allow it to happen again. Where before it had been Kikyo causing him to run off now it was some unknown factor since the undead miko was no longer around to divert his attention.

The sharp rebuff had Abel raising a brow in surprise but he had to concede that she did have a point. Guarding against the unknown did put them at a bit of a disadvantage. Forewarned was forearmed as the saying went, which was something he couldn't disagree with. So instead of arguing with her about ignoring what Inuyasha had said, he concentrated on paying attention to their surroundings while they followed the hanyou.

However, they didn't have much farther to run since Inuyasha had come to an abrupt stop and they were able to catch up to him in a matter of moments. The sight that greeted them though had most of them staring in surprise. The last thing that they'd expected to see was Lord Sesshoumaru battling what looked like giant lizards, although even that description was lacking if one was trying to describe their ugliness.

"What... are they?" Kagome asked in a whisper, her eyes glued to the scene before them. For all his speed, Sesshoumaru had only managed to destroy one of the beasts since they seemed to be quite adept at blocking his attacks. Even the blows he managed to land appeared to mostly bounce harmlessly off their armored scales.

"Basilisks," Sango replied uneasily, pitching her voice low so as not to attract their attention. "Whatever you do, don't move. They can petrify a person with one look so don't stare into their eyes." The legends surrounding these beasts were many and although she'd never seen one in person before, she'd heard the tales of those who had tried to fight them. Many had lost their lives and the few that had survived had been scarred for life.

"But, shouldn't someone help him?" Father Nightroad asked in concern, his eyes following every movement the demons made. The tall demon at the center of it all moved quickly, almost faster than a normal person would be able to follow with their eyes. Perhaps he was even as fast as most Methuselah, if he were to speculate, but the sword he wielded didn't seem to be an adequate defense against these creatures in spite of the random energy attacks it seemed to unleash.

"Keh, knowing Sesshoumaru he's toying with them. I don't see why we should have to get involved," Inuyasha proclaimed and turned to leave the area. This was trouble they didn't need and if his brother was capable of taking care of it on his own, so much the better.

"This isn't something you toy around with, Inuyasha," Sango replied quietly and made no attempt to move. With so many of the creatures in one spot to do so would be foolish. "Something had to draw them all out; it's rare to see a swarm like this."

"You think it might be Naraku?" Miroku asked uneasily, wishing - not for the first time - that he had the wind tunnel at his disposal again. Only the fact that it hadn't returned led him to believe that Naraku was still trying to remain undiscovered. To have such a blatant declaration of his continued existence would put an end to any disbelief that remained in the minds of those they came across.

Although Sango hadn't wanted to come right out and say it, the question needed to be answered. "There's no way of knowing for sure but if I had to make a guess, I'd say most likely. A swarm like this usually moves for only one reason: a female in season. Since I don't see a queen in the group it's unlikely that that was the cause, which doesn't leave many options left."

"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" Inuyasha growled irritably, drawing the Tetsusaiga, "You guys stand back and stay out of this. I'll take care of these damned things and then we can get to the bottom of this."

"Inuyasha, wait!" Sango called after him, but of course the hanyou ignored her. "Dammit!" The quick movement had alerted the basilisks to the fact that they were standing there and it made them easy targets. Even if Inuyasha hadn't meant to do that, they were now basilisk fodder and it guaranteed that they were going to have to fight to stay alive.

"Miroku, come with me. Tres, Abel, get Kagome the hell out of here while we hold them off!" she shouted and mounted Kirara, scooting forward enough that Miroku could sit behind her. Already, three of the damned demons were heading in their direction and she knew that this would be a difficult fight. "Remember what I said. Don't look into their eyes and aim for the neck. It's their most vulnerable area."

Kagome watched the three of them launch themselves into the battle and even though she wanted to help, she knew that there wasn't much that she could do. It still didn't make things any easier for her to watch and it was difficult not to become involved. Over the sounds of the fighting she could hear the banter between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, who was rather irritated by the fact that they'd interfered in the first place. _'Doesn't Sesshoumaru realize he needs our help?'_

"It would be wise to relocate to a secure position," Tres advised, taking in the precariousness of the situation calmly. To remain so exposed would leave them open to attack, not to mention the fact that he could tell the miko was trying to figure out a way to help their friends. That was something which couldn't afford to happen and as such, it was best to remove her from the situation entirely. Already one of the basilisks was down now that Inuyasha had joined the fight; it was only a matter of time before the rest were dealt with.

"Good idea," Father Nightroad said with a slight nod of his head, placing his hand on Kagome's shoulder, "We should go while Sango and Miroku have them distracted." Although he and Tres could likely aid in the fight, it would leave Kagome on her own and he hadn't forgotten about the possibility that Kanna was lurking in the area. For now it was best if they allowed the others to handle the problem until something happened where they could be of use.

Reluctantly Kagome nodded her head and allowed the two priests to lead her and Shippo away from the immediate area. Once the fight was over she had no doubts that Inuyasha would be able to find them quickly. Moving like shadows they entered the foliage, allowing it to close in around them. Gradually the sounds of the fight became fainter, leaving them to the illusion that there wasn't a battle taking place, one which involved their friends.

The sounds of something heavy moving through the forest towards them caused all four to stop short, senses alert, wondering if they'd been followed. Both Tres and Abel tensed, readying themselves for battle, while Shippo immediately moved out in front of them, sniffing the air carefully. Eyes widening in terror, he turned to face his friends, whispering, "It's coming!"

"A basilisk?" Kagome asked quickly, her eyes darting around the forest surrounding them in an effort to find a better defensive position. Her senses weren't telling her that one of the cursed creatures had followed them, but that wasn't to say one of the beasts hadn't broken off of the main group. What else could it be crashing through the underbrush like that?

Shippo's answer was cut short when a high-pitched scream split the air and dread filled Kagome's heart; she knew that voice. Moments later another one she was quite familiar with could be heard, "It's Rin and Jaken. They're in trouble, come on!"

This time none of them questioned the miko as they followed her deeper into the forest. Clearly the first voice had been that of a child and couldn't be ignored. The fact that Jaken was there and trying to protect the girl meant that she was obviously someone important, but the small toad demon wouldn't be able to hold off a basilisk for long.

"Hold on, Jaken, we're coming!" Kagome shouted ahead, knowing that the toad would hear her although he was likely to scoff that he didn't need their help at all. While it was unlikely that she would be able to do anything herself, she was well aware that Tres and Abel were far from helpless and a bullet would likely penetrate the demon's armor whereas a sword had failed.

Unfortunately, it was the noise they produced while breaking through the brush which made the situation even more perilous than it already was. Jaken was doing a fair job of holding the creature off with the staff of two skulls but he made a mistake by turning to look at them. Doing so had diverted his attention just enough that he was swept out of the way by a powerful claw and then paralyzed by the beast's penetrating gaze. "Rin, run!" he was able to get out in his last moments before his body was turned to stone and he knew no more.

"Master Jaken!" Rin cried out in terror when she saw that the toad demon had been entranced by the basilisk and she just knew that she was going to be next. This time it was unlikely that Lord Sesshoumaru would be able to save her and it would be her fault for not doing as she'd been told. Woodenly she tried to get up as the toad demon had commanded but for some reason her legs just refused to cooperate with what her mind was screaming at her to do. The weight of what had happened came crashing down on her and tears began to trail down her cheeks even though she'd been trying to hold them back. She knew it was over when she felt her body starting to fall and she closed her eyes tight, waiting for the impact she knew was coming when she would hit the ground.

However, the moment that the basilisk turned its stony gaze upon her a loud crack split the air, causing her to cover her ears and shriek in surprise. Was it some sort of new attack that the demon had unleashed upon her? A second bang filled the air and it was quickly followed by something heavy falling. Uneasily she opened her eyes to see the basilisk lying on the ground, bleeding from two holes in its body and the surrounding tissue was quickly disintegrating. Before she could wonder how they got there, a tall red-haired male stalked up to the creature, his gaze stony as he began to examine it.

Tres stared dispassionately at the creature which tried to lift its head to look at him. The warning about its gaze was fresh in his mind and he wasn't about to allow anyone else to fall victim to it. Quickly, he slammed a boot down on top of its head and pinned it into place before firing another two rounds into it, finishing the job. Only once it had completely quit moving did he holster his gun and turn back to Father Nightroad and Kagome. "Target eliminated. However, the corpse will draw others, we should relocate."

"What should we do about Jaken?" Kagome asked uneasily, and looked wearily at the toad demon. If Jaken died now, how badly would that alter the future for them? Would it make a difference since they were now rewriting the past? Somehow she just couldn't be sure of anything at this point, but she couldn't leave it to chance either. Jaken had played a part in her coming here in the first place, and for that reason alone she was unwilling to leave the waspish demon behind regardless of how irritating he could be at times.

"Lord Sesshoumaru can use the Tenseiga on him, right?" Shippo asked uncertainly while walking over to Rin. Just because she knew who he and Kagome were didn't mean that she was necessarily going to be at ease with Tres and Abel there. They couldn't afford trouble out of the child now, not if any of them wanted a chance of surviving.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru will save Jaken," Rin said confidently with a nod of her head. In her mind the Tenseiga could heal anything and Jaken was no exception, even if he was rather gray-looking right now. With wide eyes she turned to look at her savior, "Who are you? Did Lord Sesshoumaru send you to look after Rin?"

"Negative, we were in the immediate vicinity when we happened to hear your distress call," Tres replied automatically, not giving any thought to the way the child was looking at him in surprise. The question really wasn't important to him anyway; all that mattered now was that they get moving, with or without the child, "We have to go now." Turning, he reached for Kagome's arm knowing that Abel would understand and back his move.

Kagome raised a brow at Tres and shook her head although she made no move to pull her arm away. "Rin, we'll find a way to help Jaken but I need you to come with us for now, okay? Another basilisk could come; we need to get someplace safe for now."

"We can't leave Master Jaken alone," Rin said stubbornly, making no attempt to move. She couldn't just leave Jaken there while he was petrified. She knew that she was responsible for her current condition; to abandon him now would be unconscionable. Surely with how easily the miko's friend had killed the demon, they had nothing to worry about, right?

Knowing that the girl wasn't about to budge, Kagome sighed and shook her head at Tres and Abel. Already she could see the stubborn set to Tres' chin and she knew that she was up for a fight. But how could she go along with what they wanted? If they tried to take Rin away from Jaken physically, there was every chance that the girl would fight them and attract attention they didn't need. Like it or not, they weren't going anywhere without the girl's cooperation. "Are you sure you won't come with us, Rin? It shouldn't take Lord Sesshoumaru long to finish, Inuyasha is helping him at the moment."

Rin looked at the miko curiously but, no, she wasn't about to move no matter what the miko said. She knew that if that were the case, it could be a longer wait than first anticipated since the two half brothers were likely to fight each other as well. "We can wait here; Lord Sesshoumaru would be upset if Rin left Jaken alone. Who are they, Kagome?" she asked, indicating the two tall men who were standing guard over them.

"The names of the dead do not matter; Naraku is tired of their continued interference of his plans to kill the miko," Kanna said as she stepped out of the shadows and into their line of sight. With emotionless eyes she stared at the small group of people before her while holding her mirror firmly in place. Through it she knew that Naraku could see everything and soon he would know that her mission was accomplished; perhaps then her master would allow her to rest, much the same as he'd done for Kagura.

"Rin, Shippo, get out of here. Go get Inuyasha!" Kagome ordered, never taking her eyes off of the void-demon. She didn't have to look at the others to see they were tensing in preparation for a battle; enough time had been spent educating them on just what this particular demoness could do. Now she could only pray that for once the two children would listen and not try to sit there questioning what she said. It was a risk sending them both off but having them stay to have their souls ripped out was not something she wanted to put either of them through if she could help it.

"He will be too late to save you," Kanna replied dispassionately, although she allowed the human child to run off. By the time the inu-hanyou arrived she intended to have their souls in her possession and his interference would be dealt with. Perhaps she could trap his soul also. Once secured, the only thing that would free them was her death and she would not give into an eternal sleep until she'd accomplished what she'd been ordered to do.

"You're a fool if you think I'll just let you take our souls, Kanna. Your mirror couldn't even handle mine before and it damned sure won't take out the three of us this time," Kagome countered, unshouldering the bow she'd been carrying. Of course, she was well aware of just how effective an arrow was likely to be but she was hoping that either Tres or Abel would be able to take the demoness out while she held her attention.

"Your beliefs will not change the outcome this time, Kagome, and fighting will be in vain. Give in and allow my mirror to take control," Kanna replied calmly, allowing her power to flow into the mirror that she was holding. Immediately the surface began to glow softly and its energy called to their souls. Gunfire filled the air, but all it took was a quick adjustment of the weapon and the bullets were absorbed through the glassy surface.

"Dammit," Kagome swore and notched an arrow. Already she could see the silvery mist rising from both Tres and Abel and while both were still on their feet, she knew it was only a matter of time before they collapsed. She had to end this quickly. "I won't let you win!"

Although he'd been the first one to take a shot at the demoness, Tres was feeling the effects of the mirror the hardest and he was finding it hard to concentrate on his target. An overwhelming feeling of weakness swept over him, driving him down to one knee, but he was determined not to give in. All it would take was one shot and the enemy would be destroyed but how was he to give such a fatal blow when he could barely see the target?

Kagome could feel the man's determination waver and she quickly notched another arrow, "Don't you dare give up on me, Tres! Just hold on for a few more seconds!"

The arrow was quickly loosed and it cut through the air towards Kanna, but predictably it was absorbed into the mirror as well. Kagome bit back a curse when her attack failed to do its job and she found herself longing for the day that her arrows would have busted the damned thing to hell and back.

Kagome's voice came to Tres as if crossing a great distance and the sheer desperation in it had him resisting against the pull on his soul. With great effort, the red-head forced himself to his feet again and leveled his guns at the demon, trying to destroy her. His vision was hazy, but he wasn't about to allow that to stop him from taking a shot. Instinct steadied his hands and the desire to protect had him squeezing the triggers.

Kagome resisted the urge to cover her ears when gunfire filled the air and instead concentrated on steadying her own aim. As expected, the bullets weren't having any effect and at this point Tres was only wasting ammo, but she hoped it was enough of a distraction for her own attack to work. The second arrow was loosed at the exact moment that Father Nightroad went to his knees, causing her aim to veer just enough to the left. Kagome could only watch helplessly when her arrow disappeared into the forest.

Any thought of firing another arrow at Kanna was quickly destroyed when a familiar sound had her gut coiling in dread. All the noise had attracted another one of the basilisks and no doubt it was coming to investigate. She had to end this quickly; otherwise, Kanna wouldn't have to worry about killing them with her mirror. Taking a deep breath, Kagome closed her eyes and then spun in place, aiming straight for where she knew the beast to be. Hoping that her aim was true, she released the arrow just as the basilisk reached striking range. A sharp twang resonated from the bow string seconds before the demon lashed out, cleaving through the bow, but it was too late. The arrow hit its mark moments later and began purifying the demon.

"One down," Kagome muttered and tossed the useless bow to the side. In her peripheral vision she could see that Tres had lost the battle and had slumped to the ground, his guns completely empty. Abel, on the other hand, was on his hands and knees, panting heavily while his soul attempted to enter the mirror but something was preventing it. _'Of course! He's not exactly human and the mirror isn't equipped to deal with demonic souls, or even those of a Crusnik. That has to be why more of my soul hasn't been taken yet!'_

For his part, Abel was fighting his own private hell from the pain of his soul trying to be removed. Each moment was agony, making it difficult to control the beast within that begged to be unleashed. Would giving in give them the advantage they needed? Even now he could see Kagome running towards Kanna, although he couldn't be certain just what she intended on doing.

Kanna was similarly puzzled, both by the miko's actions and by the fact that her mirror was not absorbing either of their souls. Repeatedly she called to them, only to have the man's soul hover just beyond the surface of the glass and resist the call. The pressure against the surface was immense and she knew that if she didn't succeed soon, she was going to have to release it, lest the mirror break. However, she never got the chance, for a scream echoed through the clearing from the silver-haired male and it was followed by the glass of her mirror shattering into thousands of pieces.

A blinding light spilled from the broken surface, temporarily dazzling them all as the souls erupted from the mirror and began rushing towards the bodies they'd been pulled from. Tres was the first one to recover his soul and life came to him in a rush, along with a blazing hatred for the one that had caused it. Angrily, he snatched up his guns and trained them on the demoness but to his chagrin he now found the clips to be completely empty.

The confusion caused by the mirror breaking was all the opening that Kagome needed and, while Kanna was distracted, she slammed into the smaller demon and sent them both tumbling to the ground. It wasn't enough though and Kagome knew that if she wasn't careful Kanna would find a way to escape. Furiously, she punched the smaller female in the face, not caring in the least about the blood that sprayed from the demoness' nose and splattered across her clothing.

"Where is Naraku?" She growled and pulled her fist back for another blow despite the ache that was forming in her hand. While she normally wasn't one to advocate a beat-down, Kagome was more than fed up with the hit and run tactics Naraku had been using. If beating the information out of Kanna was what was necessary, then so be it. After she got what she needed to know she would release the demoness to death, never to carry out Naraku's plans again.

"You'll never find him you know," Kanna whispered, trying to break free of the hold the miko had on her. While the blow she'd suffered had caused minimal damage, she ignored the pain from the injury with little difficulty. Naraku had inflicted far worse in the past, and Kagome was going to have to do better then that if she hoped to keep the slight advantage that she had gained for the moment.

"Wrong answer," Kagome snarled and hit the demoness again. A gentle hand on her shoulder was shrugged off roughly. One way or another, she was going to get her answers. Naraku had a lot to answer for, the least of which was her own death. The bastard was determined to kill everyone that she cared for and that was something she couldn't forgive.

Father Nightroad wasn't the least bit put off by Kagome's reaction and to a large extent he could understand her anger. Rage seethed through the bond they shared and he knew well that if it wasn't Kagome interrogating the demon, Tres would be next in line.

"Kagome, it's alright. We'll get the answers out of her, don't worry," he said gently, trying to calm down her as well as his partner. Now that the danger was over they could think rationally and figure out what their next move should be.

The words held little effect on her, but Kagome knew that the others would be far more... _effective_ at getting answers out of the girl. If nothing else, she'd heard of the inquisition and knew that the methods occasionally employed by the Vatican were at times more barbaric than anything that she'd heard of being utilized here in Japan.

"Fine," she snarled after a moment and roughly shoved the small demoness back against the ground before standing up.

Tres immediately snatched Kanna up off the ground, not caring in the least that his grip was likely to leave bruises on her later. His eyes narrowed to mere slits and he stared down at her, "You will give us Naraku's location now."

"Your demands are pointless; Naraku knows that I have failed. Even if I gave his location now, he would not be there when you arrived," Kanna said tonelessly, clearly not intimidated by the glares she was receiving.

"If you think the bastard is getting away that easily you're more of an idiot than your master is," Inuyasha sneered, his expression one of distaste as he walked out of the shadows, followed quickly by Miroku and Sango. The basilisks had been difficult to defeat but were by no means impossible. Between him and Sesshoumaru, they'd wiped them out in short order. When he heard the gunfire he'd feared the worst, however the last thing he expected to see was Kanna in the redhead's hands. The crimson blood that dripped down the front of her face was an unexpected sight, although he couldn't say it bothered him in the least, "Damn, who worked her over?"

"You should have seen it, Inuyasha! I don't think I've ever seen Kagome so mad before, and if it hadn't been for Father Nightroad she'd still be hitting her I bet," Shippo said eagerly. The look of disbelief on Inuyasha's face didn't surprise him any, he wouldn't have believed either it if he hadn't watched it himself.

"Damn, Kagome, and you were telling me that _I_ had anger issues?" Inuyasha smirked at her, the expression on his face showing both surprise and amusement. The look the girl threw at him promised pain if he kept on his current course of conversation but it wasn't enough to stop him from drawing some satisfaction from the moment.

"Yeah, well, what was I supposed to do? Ask her if she'd like to enjoy a cup of tea while we were waiting on you to hurry up?" Kagome countered, her voice laced with irritation, "I did what I had to and it's not like I had some rope to tie her up with." As satisfying as it had been to hit the other girl, Kagome knew that her hand would be paying for it later. It was already quite sore and she was already sporting faint bruises along her knuckles.

The brief glimpse of white through the trees caught both Tres and Abel's attention, causing both of them to tense. Seeing their reactions, Inuyasha turned to look and see what they were watching before sighing, "If you're going to sit there and spy on us, you might as well come out, Sesshoumaru."

"Spying is beneath me, Inuyasha. You would be wise to remember your place," Sesshoumaru stated blandly and stepped out into the open to get a better look at the two newcomers to his half-brother's group. His nose wrinkled in distaste. Humans were truly a waste of a demon's time, with very few exceptions. He was only here for one reason, his retainer.

Seeing the demon lord, or rather who was with him, had Kagome sighing in relief. She had been worried about whether or not Rin would make it back to him and it was a weight off of her soul to know that the girl had been successful. The last thing she had wanted was to be responsible for was the little girl's life.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru! Here's Master Jaken, can you fix him?" Rin asked anxiously from her spot beside the frozen toad demon. She'd seen her lord accomplish many things with the Tenseiga that she considered miracles, but would it work on someone who had been turned to stone?

Slowly Sesshoumaru unsheathed the Tenseiga, waiting to feel the familiar pulse that emanated from the sword when it encountered someone in need. It was like a heartbeat that called to him, echoing through his soul, demanding that he take action, but until he felt the familiar energy the sword would do nothing towards healing anyone. It was now up to the sword in his hands to make up its own mind.

"Stand back, Rin," he ordered quietly and waited for the girl to move out of the way. Already he could see the messengers of death working to pry the demon's soul from the petrified remains, yet he knew that they would fail in their endeavors. Once his ward was clear of the immediate area, he brought the blade cleanly through Jaken and waited for the sword's magic to take effect. For several long moments nothing happened but then in a shower of light the hard shell that had been covering the toad exploded, allowing Jaken to crumple to the ground.

Roughly Jaken pushed himself up off of the ground and glanced around frantically before spotting Rin and Sesshoumaru standing just a few feet away. "I'm alive!" he squawked loudly and quickly began crawling across the grass to kneel at his lord's feet. "Oh thank you for saving me, M'Lord!"

"Silence, Jaken," Lord Sesshoumaru said tonelessly. It was only the fact that the Tenseiga had responded that the toad was even alive at all. The reasoning behind it really didn't concern him; however, the fact that Jaken had failed in his duty to protect Rin did. Yet, continuing to remain in his half brother's presence was annoying and as such, Jaken would be dealt with at another time. "Rin, let's go."

"Coming, Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said enthusiastically and fell in step with the demon lord. A bright smile covered her face as she turned to look back at Kagome and wave at her. The miko and her friends had always struck her as a bit odd, but nice nonetheless. Perhaps another time they could stay and visit for a while.

Although her temper was far from calmed, Kagome waved back to the child and watched the three disappear into the forest. Only once they had vanished did she turn to look back at the others. "So what do we do about Kanna?"

At this, Sango stepped forward, "Let me take care of her. There are ways of making demons talk, she'll be no exception." Of course, she normally didn't condone torture but this was a part of her profession and Kanna was nothing short of an enemy. Already she was making a mental list of the plants she could use that would work on the demoness.

"Your efforts will be futile, for Naraku knows that I have failed in my mission. One by one each of you will fall and you will be powerless to stop him," Kanna said quietly, closing her eyes. There was no way that Naraku would allow her to give up his location, of that much she was certain. Already she could feel his presence lurking in the back of her mind and it felt as if he was weighing his options. The slightest of smiles touched her lips when his decision washed over her. It was over. "Remember my words."

"What the hell!" Inuyasha exclaimed when Kanna crumpled to the ground without a sound. Before he could take a step towards her, the body that had been made from Naraku himself began to crumble and turn to dust, only to be picked up by the gentle breeze blowing through the clearing.

"Naraku killed her," Kagome said through gritted teeth. Her fists clenched in anger with the knowledge that any hope they had of getting information on where the bastard was located had just blown away on the breeze. "Dammit, we were so close!"

"It's a loss, but not so great of one that cannot be overcome," Miroku said calmly, trying to be the voice of reason. "If Naraku thought it necessary to remove one of his more important incarnations it has to mean that we're close. This also leads me to believe that he's not as recovered as we feared; otherwise, he wouldn't be so hasty in his actions. He doesn't want us to confront him, not yet anyway. I think we're on the correct path for what it's worth."

Father Nightroad nodded his head. "Indeed. Naraku has made a tactical decision that increases his chances of success. The longer he avoids us, the more time he has to consolidate his own power." Something told him that this would all come to a head soon because there was no way that they'd stop in their push to find Naraku now. However, there was an added issue to deal with and that was the fact of ammunition again. They just couldn't take the time out to return to the well a second time to get more. However, there was one possibility and it gave him pause.

"Oi, what are you thinking over there, Nightroad?" Inuyasha asked when the man fell silent with a pensive look on his face, "If you've thought of something then spill it, dammit. We don't have time to sit here."

"You said that your friend Totousai was a swordsmith, did you not?" Father Nightroad asked, his mind quickly working to come up with a solution to the problem at hand. At Inuyasha's nod he continued, "We're coming up with a problem of ammunition again and we don't have time to travel back to the well. However, your friend is accustomed to metal working and gunpowder is not unknown in this time period, even if the recipe is not as refined as our own. Is it possible that he might be able to recreate the bullets if we provide him the supplies and an explanation on how it works?"

The question made them all pause for several long moments. Kagome shifted uncomfortably and tried to remember everything she'd ever heard about the way bullets were made. "I don't know," she began uneasily, "even if you could explain the process to him, he doesn't have the equipment needed to produce them."

"I'm not gonna pretend to know what she's talking about but one thing Totousai can do is work with metal. If either of you two can draw out the design of the crap he needs, he could probably recreate it for you," Inuyasha said, his ears twitching in irritation. There was no way in hell they were going back to the village now. If it became absolutely necessary they would either leave Tres at a nearby village or Nightroad could protect him as far as he was concerned.

"But that could take days," Sango protested immediately, "There's no telling where Naraku will be by then." While she wasn't familiar with the machinery that they were speaking of, she was well acquainted with the concept of making her own weapons and it was a tedious process to say the least. "We just don't have that much time to spare."

"What's worse, a couple of days or the couple of weeks that it would take to get back to Kaede's?" Inuyasha countered quickly. All he wanted at this point was to figure out what the hell they were doing. It wouldn't hurt to ask Totousai and the old coot owed him after the last jam he'd helped him out of. If nothing else, they were headed there anyway and it put off the headache of telling Tres there was a strong chance that he was going to be left behind, at least for a few hours.

"He's right," Miroku interjected before Sango could counter the hanyou's argument, "Short of leaving Tres somewhere while we hunt for Naraku, I daresay this is the most expedient way of dealing with the problem. Somehow I doubt that our friend would acquiesce to such a suggestion anyway." The look on the redhead's face quickly confirmed that; he had already looked ready to kill something. He knew that the moment that the possibility of leaving Tres behind was put forth, whoever the one was who even made the suggestion was likely to be on the receiving end of that anger. Just because he happened to be out of ammunition did not mean that Father Nightroad was as well and something told Miroku that Tres could indeed use the Crusnik's gun quite well.

"Absolutely not," Kagome cut in, putting the nix on the suggestion. No one was getting left behind, even if it meant they had to go back to Kaede's. What would happen if Tres was attacked by something while they were off hunting Naraku? The man would be a sitting duck! "Either we all go or none of us goes. You heard what Kanna said, he plans on taking us out one at a time. Do you really think Naraku would pass up on an opportunity like that?"

"She's right," Inuyasha said and crossed his arms. Leaving Tres on his own just wouldn't be wise when he took that into consideration. '_Damn, it would have been better if Abel had been the one to run out. At least he's got another way of fighting.' _Like it or not though, that wasn't what had happened. But that did give him another idea, at least temporarily. "Hey, Tres," he called, getting the redhead's attention, "You can work your partner's weapon right?"

Curtly Tres nodded his head, "Positive. I can operate any firearm from our time." The look of relief that passed over their faces gave him little comfort. If nothing else it served to irritate him further. He was supposed to be Kagome's guardian but he'd been rendered all but helpless in the last fight. To add insult to injury, with his weapons being unusable it made him nothing more than a burden to the group. The brief talk of leaving him behind had stung more than he wanted to admit and it was a small consolation that Kagome had objected so strongly. Just the fact that it had been mentioned at all was troubling.

"Fine, if you don't mind, Nightroad, give him your gun. It's not like you need or use the damned thing anyway," Inuyasha said, thankful that they had at least found a temporary solution. "We'll still stop at Totousai's to ask if he can make the bullets. We don't need you running out while we're in the middle of a fight."

"Fine, then let's get moving. It won't be much longer before night falls, I'd like to get there by then," Sango said blandly. She wasn't exactly happy with the compromise but it was better than going all the way back to the village. Quickly, she mounted up on Kirara and gave Miroku a hand so he could climb up behind her. Shippo was also perched on his shoulder which put the load at about the limit that the firecat could carry but she really didn't feel like they had a choice in the matter.

When Inuyasha looked at Kagome expectantly, she sighed. She knew exactly what he was asking and, right now, she didn't see the need to argue. She wanted to reach the swordsmith's cave just as quickly as the others and walking would only slow them down. Abel and Tres were in good enough shape that they could run without much problem although she worried from time to time if the redhead's ribs still caused him pain. But he hadn't even mentioned them lately, so she was forced to assume that they were well on their way to healing. Nodding once, she watched Inuyasha go down on one knee and with practiced ease, slid onto his back. Only once she was situated did she look at the two priests, "It shouldn't be too much farther but let us know if you need to stop for anything, alright?"

For a moment, Father Nightroad could only look at the miko in surprise before he nodded, " We'll be right behind you." While he understood the need for getting there quickly, he could feel just how unhappy this made Tres and he really couldn't say that he blamed him. Not only had Kagome had to save them from Kanna, now she was relying on the inu-hanyou to get to their destination. Even he felt the slightest bite of jealousy but it was nothing compared to how Tres was feeling.

Tres said nothing in response and merely followed behind them with what seemed to be a permanent scowl etched upon his face. What he wanted to do was to order Kagome to remove herself from Inuyasha's back but he could see how logical, not to mention efficient, the move had been. To object now would only prolong the amount of time that he had to watch the half-demon carry her, and that would increase the feelings of irritation coursing through him with every step he took.

Those feelings weren't lost on Kagome either and she tried to send a feeling of reassurance to him, but it didn't help much. She knew that once this trip was over she was going to have to sit down with him and try to figure out exactly what the problem was. She could tell it didn't stem from just one source so it was hard to pinpoint just what was causing it. Getting answers from him with everyone around wasn't likely to be easy either._ 'Maybe I can ask him to take a walk with me once we get to Totousai's. A short walk might do the trick.'_

"He'll be alright," Inuyasha said while leaping over another fallen tree. If he hadn't been able to pick up on the taller male's anger, he certainly had noticed the way Kagome seemed uneasy on his back and continually looked back at the two priests to make sure they were following. Reassurances were going to be in order to keep the group from falling apart and he sighed as he realized that once again the responsibility was resting on his shoulders. _'I hope they get this worked out soon'._

"Yeah, but what's wrong with him in the first place? He knows we'd never leave him behind and I doubt you carrying me would cause such an... intense anger in him," Kagome said worriedly and looked back at the man for what had to be the tenth time in as many minutes.

The question had Inuyasha rolling his eyes in disgust, "Don't be stupid, Kagome. You saw the way he looked when the fight was over. What male likes it when his woman has to save his ass? If it wasn't for you he and Nightroad would both be dead." Really, how hard was it for her to figure out? Even he had known what the problem was within the first couple of moments after the fight.

"I should have known," Kagome muttered beneath her breath. To her it hadn't mattered who had finished the fight so long as it was settled and no one was hurt. Apparently though, such an affront to a male's pride was something that called for much sulking. Of course, she doubted that reason was all of it, but it would make sense that that was what had triggered the whole thing in the first place.

The rest of the trip was done in silence because neither of them were sure of what to say and Kagome knew that asking Inuyasha's advice on how to resolve the issue would most likely end up as a futile attempt. So when they arrived at the entrance to the cave, Kagome heaved a sigh of relief and slid off on Inuyasha's back. When she tried to send a smile in Tres' direction though, it was met with a look of regret. Sighing heavily, she followed Inuyasha towards the entrance and prayed that Totousai was home.

"Hey, Totousai! Are you in there, old man?" Inuyasha yelled, ignoring the formalities of politeness. So help him if the guy was out flying around on that three-eyed cow he was likely to end up strangling someone while they waited for him to return.

"Eh! Who's there?" The voice echoed from the darkness of the cave, alerting Inuyasha to the fact that the man was at least home, even if he was as senile as ever. Stalking forward, he peered into the entrance. "It's me, old man. Either get out here or let us come in. We need to talk to you!"

"Inuyasha?" Totousai queried, sticking his head out of the entrance, blinking a few times to allow his eyesight to adjust, "You didn't break the Tetsusaiga again, did you?"

"Of course not," Inuyasha groused and walked into the entrance, motioning for the others to follow him. He wasn't about to wait for an invitation, not when they could stand there for hours before Totousai figured out that they needed something. Quickly his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and he could see that not much had changed. A futon remained in one corner and the rest of the area had been taken up with the tools of the swordsmith's trade.

"So what are you here for?" Totousai asked curiously, one scrawny hand coming up to rub the top of his head uneasily. Inuyasha didn't just turn up for no reason, especially not with the entire group in tow and then some. "Who are they anyway, Inuyasha? I'm a busy man, if it's not the Tetsusaiga I'm afraid I won't be able to help you. I can't afford to set my other customers aside."

With this question Kagome stepped forward. "Please hear us out, Totousai; we really need your help. These are my friends Father Nightroad and Father Tres." She indicated with her hand just who she was referring to, to avoid any confusion. The bald head nodded in understanding although the swordsmith didn't take his eyes off her. Taking a deep breath she continued, "I'm afraid that their weapons don't have anything to do with swords but you're the best weapons master we know. I'm hoping that you'll be able to help us."

"Best weapons master you say? Tell me more," the old man said, rubbing the end of his beard thoughtfully. Of course his talents with swords were well known throughout Japan but to be known as a weaponmaster made his pride swell. Just maybe he could set his current job aside in order to help the girl out.

"What do you know about guns?" Inuyasha cut in, wanting to get right to the point. Kagome might have managed to pique his interest but they couldn't just stand there stroking the man's ego either.

"Guns?" Totousai's large eyes blinked towards the inu-hanyou in surprise, "What do you need with a gun? They're a dreadful weapon requiring little skill. You stick with the Tetsusaiga, my boy, it's all the weapon you'll ever need."

"It's not for me, you old coot! It's for them. I keep telling them a sword's the way to go but we ain't got the time for them to learn how to use one," Inuyasha said, shooting a superior look over at the two. Maybe now they'd listen to him when he tried telling them that their weapons were all but useless, but the look of disgust on their faces immediately convinced him the attempt was pointless once again. Both of the men looked like they were ready to take their frustrations out on him at a moments notice and with a sigh he turned back to face the old swordmaster.

"Good, good. No guns for you my boy. Now that that's out of the way, it was nice of you to visit, but I don't have time to talk. Stop by some other time!" Totousai said, believing the discussion to be over. The sword he was working on now was an important job, one that he'd been paid double for. However, when his guests didn't move, he paused, "Was there something else you needed?"

"Totousai, we need to know if you can make bullets like this," Kagome said and pulled a casing out of her pocket for the swordsmith to examine, "I know you need a special machine for it but Father Nightroad can make you a diagram showing how it's made."

"I don't know," Totousai said uncertainly although he made no move to hand it back. Carefully he examined it, his eyes scrutinizing the piece of metal carefully. The thinness was exquisite and although it would be difficult to replicate, he had no doubts that he could do so. "What's in it for me?"

"What's in it for you?" Inuyasha snorted in disgust, "You get to live. Cause if we don't have enough of these for the next fight, Naraku might just get away and where do you think he's gonna come first since I'm sure he's seen that we're visiting you?" It was a dirty tactic to use, but Inuyasha wasn't about to apologize for it.

"So the rumors are true then?" Totousai muttered, not wanting to believe it, but not seeing a reason to deny it either. He'd thought it odd that Naraku had died so easily, especially if Kouga's retelling was to be believed. "Fine, show me your diagram and I'll make my decision."

Father Nightroad stepped up and directed the old man towards a bare patch of earth where he'd be able to draw the design that would be needed. He didn't bother to ask for any sort of parchment since he knew that paper in this time period was a luxury and, based upon his first impression of the swordsmith, he was unlike to have any on hand. A small twig was precisely what he needed to begin the outline in the dirt. "This machine has several moving parts but I'm sure that you'll be able to accomplish that. It's about this high..."

Their voices trailed off and Kagome leaned against one of the walls, knowing that this could take awhile. Totousai was nothing but thorough and it would probably take some time before they had come to any sort of decision. "Hopefully this won't take long," she muttered beneath her breath.

"We already know that Totousai has the capabilities but I wonder, does he have the materials on hand?" Miroku asked quietly while he watched the two of them converse. "Gunpowder has many different ingredients and I doubt that he has them in supply considering that he wouldn't have a use for them."

"You're right," Kagome said with a sigh and tried to think about what she knew of the substance. Most of the ingredients that she'd heard of hadn't been put together until the nineteenth century and it was unlikely they could get their hands on it now. "Out of curiosity, do you know what goes into it? The method I know of hasn't even been discovered yet."

"I don't, however I'd be willing to bet that Sango does," Miroku said quietly to both the miko and the exterminator. His calling was generally a peaceful one and he normally couldn't be bothered with learning about this sort of thing; however, it was right up Sango's alley with her profession. It was highly unlikely that the woman would object to helping now since with her assistance they could get this accomplished faster.

"I'm familiar with the technique," Sango said the moment the miko's eyes trained on her, "the components are relatively inexpensive but dangerous to work with." It wasn't something that she'd mess with if there was any way around it, but then it wasn't her getting into it either. Totousai wouldn't be any worse for wear if an explosion happened seeing that he had the ability to breathe fire at any time he chose.

"As I thought. If you wouldn't mind, might I persuade you to make a list, Sango?" Miroku asked and reached into his robes for a scrap of paper and a quill with which to write. It was fortunate that he kept a small ink pot on hand as well for emergencies such as this; otherwise, whoever went to retrieve the supplies would be stuck with memorizing the list of ingredients. With a small smile he handed the items to the exterminator and watched her reluctantly begin to write_._

"I suppose it's too much to hope that the village might have some already made so we don't have to go through the trouble of making it ourselves," Kagome muttered with a sigh, although she knew that the fact that Sango knew how to make it at all was better than nothing.

"You might be surprised, Lady Kagome."

The unexpected voice had the miko looking down in surprise, "Myouga, what are you doing here?"

"Keeping Totousai company, of course," Myouga replied and leaped upwards towards her shoulder. However he didn't make it far before he was caught in the rather strong grip of a man he hadn't met yet, but had become familiar with nonetheless. "My pardons, I meant her no harm. You must be Father Iqus."

"Positive," Tres replied curtly, peering at the flea demon in his hand. Ordinarily he wouldn't be concerned over something so small, but he'd learned in the months since he arrived in this time period that nothing was to be taken for granted. "Now, state your business."

"Yes, well, I'll get to that in a moment. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Myouga said, and waited for the man's grip to relax. Only once it had did he attempt to move again and brush his clothing off. "I really wish you wouldn't have done that," his voice came out in a whining tone that had everybody wincing slightly, "I try so hard to stay presentable-looking and then something always happens to make me look rumpled."

"Wait, you know of Tres already?" Kagome asked with an arched brow and no small amount of worry. Somehow the flea continued to surprise her with what he happened to know and this time she had to wonder if perhaps the small demon had been spying on them. But if he had, wouldn't Totousai have known that they were coming?

"Of course I do. Did you think that your friends wouldn't garner their fair share of attention during your travels? I must say that Naraku's survival was a surprise and I'd been hoping that they were nothing more than vicious rumors. However, I doubt that you'd come all this way for just a social call," Myouga replied with no humor. "I know that your group has been avoiding villages when possible, but news still travels fast. I daresay that they've attracted almost as much attention as you did when you arrived."

"I suppose that would make sense," Kagome said after a moment and gave Tres a good once over with her eyes. "Both you and Father Nightroad do tend to stick out, just a bit anyway." That was putting it a bit mildly, but it really wasn't any worse than she had when she first arrived. At least they weren't running around in outfits that gave the world panty shots every time they turned around.

"Our appearances are irrelevant, continue with your explanation. Will gun power be easily procured at this village?" Tres asked, impatient to get on with it. The sooner they solved the ammunition problem, the faster they could continue the hunt for Naraku.

"I cannot say for certain, however, there is a chance that the you'll be able to acquire some from the shop keeper. Being so close to the lava fields means that sulfur is in abundant supply and gun powder is easily marketed. However, if they believe that you are a person with dangerous intentions, I wouldn't expect that they will part with their wares so easily. These are still hard times and they are plagued by bandits and thieves," Myouga said quietly and looked over at the man critically, "News of your presences has traveled fast, to be certain, but I do not believe they will welcome you so easily. You'll need someone to accompany you who can vouch for your character."

"Fine, I'll go with him," Inuyasha replied from across the room. Listening to Nightroad and Totousai had long ago bored him, so he'd tuned them out. Hearing that half of their problem might already be solved had gotten his attention immediately.

"I'm afraid that won't be so easy, Inuyasha. As I said, times have been hard and this village has suffered much because it is so prosperous. Being a demon would bar you entrance, as would being a hanyou most likely," Myouga replied carefully, trying not to set the man off. Even he had to be careful when entering that village because people were so wary. Inuyasha's reputation as one who helped to defeat Naraku was unlikely to be enough to grant him entrance into the village.

"Like they could keep me out," Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms. It would figure that they'd forbid demons entrance even though it was likely that it was ordinary humans causing all the trouble._ 'Shit, one little bump in the night and these idiots are up in arms, thinking they're under attack.'_

"Of course they couldn't, but do you really want to ruin any chances of getting the stuff we need?" Shippo asked from his spot on the ground. While he could understand Inuyasha's irritation, he thought the hanyou was too impulsive and not thinking things through. "Or would you rather go all the way back to Kaede's?"

"Who asked you, runt?" Inuyasha snapped, even though he knew that the kitsune had a point. Of course, he could just take the stuff if necessary, but he didn't want to think about the hell Kagome would put him through for that when there were easier ways of getting what they needed.

"Shippo's right," Sango snapped impatiently and looked up from the list, "we shouldn't have to be doing this in the first place, but since there's really no choice, one of us is going to have to go." With that, she gave a sidelong look at Tres and didn't flinch back from the look he gave her. This was twice now that he'd run out of ammunition and it was getting rather tiring to deal with. Sooner or later the man was going to have to learn to ration his supplies before someone got killed because of his thoughtlessness.

Kagome watched as Tres turned around and walked out of the cave. She couldn't help but shake her head with resignation. While he might not have shown just how angry he was, she could tell that the comment had rubbed him the wrong way. Sooner or later something was going to break through that icy shell he'd put up and that anger would come spilling out._ 'The gods had better help whoever it's directed towards. That's one man that I wouldn't want to provoke._'

"So, who's going to the village then? Neither me or Inuyasha can go, and Tres can't go by himself," Shippo asked curiously, ignoring the tension that was mounting in the room. Even though he wanted to go, he knew it just wouldn't be possible this time. Nor did he believe, that Tres would be so accepting of traveling with certain members of their group at the moment. Father Nightroad wouldn't work because the villagers would be suspicious of him as well. In his mind, either Miroku or Kagome would have to be the one to go, but was sending the miko such a good idea?

Before he could voice the question though, Kagome spoke up, "I'll go with him. Right now probably wouldn't be a good time to send anyone else with him." If nothing else, she knew that she was more likely to get him to open up than any of the others, except for perhaps Abel and he was needed here.

"Kagome, I don't think that's a good idea. You don't have your bow and he's down to borrowing Father Nightroad's gun," Sango said, her brow furrowing in thought,. "Miroku, I think you should go instead. You're good at negotiating prices anyway."

At this, Miroku's brow raised and he shook his head, "I don't think that would be wise. We're most likely to be troubled by demons, and frankly, we'd need more than just my sutras if it were to come down to a fight. You're forgetting where we are. Swords are not the only weapons that Totousai has here."

"He has a point you know," Shippo said and looked around the room. While swords were the predominant weapon, there were others, such as spears and pikes. There was even a chance that Totousai had a bow hidden away somewhere if they were lucky, perhaps one that had been left by a former customer.

"You're right, Shippo," Kagome replied thoughtfully and made her way over to the swordsmith who looked to be deeply involved in his own conversation with Father Nightroad. "Excuse me, can I interrupt for a moment to ask you a question, Totousai?"

"Of course. What is it that you need, Kagome?" Totousai asked curiously, giving the girl his complete attention. The diagram that the priest had been showing him was beyond interesting and he could easily see how he could forge something of the sort with a day or so of work. However, it wasn't often that the miko came to ask him for anything. Usually it was Inuyasha just demanding and Kagome trying to play mediator.

"You create swords for a lot of different people, right?" she asked and when she received a cautious nod, she continued on, "What do you do with the weapons they already had? Do they take them when they leave or are they left behind for you to have?"

"Well," Totousai began and stroked his beard thoughtfully, "most of the time, they take their things with them. The only time they really leave anything behind is if they were in a jam when they came here in the first place. Say if they break their sword like someone else we know, whatever cheap piece of garbage they pick up to use temporarily is left behind and I melt it down for scrap."

"Hmm, I thought as much. Has anyone ever left a bow behind before?" Kagome asked, hope coloring her voice. If he had one, she'd be surprised, but pleased nonetheless. Even if it wasn't in the best of conditions, it was better than nothing and she could always get a better one at the village.

"Bows, bows... Hmm, you're in luck, Kagome. I think I might have what you need over here," the sword smith said indulgently and stood up. Quickly, he led the miko over to a side chamber where he stored most of the stuff that he considered unusable. Bows were actually a quite common commodity since they were easily obtained if one was in a hurry to get a weapon. Fortunately for the girl, most of the people couldn't use them well, and as such, it wasn't worth the effort in keeping them. For the most part, he'd been using them as kindling, but there was a chance he still had a couple of them left.

The darkness of the room had Kagome squinting to see just what Totousai was talking about, but already she could see the outline of a few bows and quivers propped against the wall.

"Perfect," she breathed, and picked up the first one so she could examine it. The wood was rough and had suffered through some hard use, but perhaps it was still usable. Gingerly she pulled back on the line and prayed that it wouldn't snap. Unfortunately, she could hear the wood cracking under the pressure of the draw and reluctantly, she set it to the side. There was just no way she'd be able to fire more than one arrow with it.

The second bow she laid her hands on was slightly more promising. It wasn't a weapon that a master archer would have, but it was certainly better than the first one. While the wood wasn't perfectly smooth, she could feel the elasticity in it when she drew it back. The weapon had definitely seen better days, but it would more than suffice for what she needed on this trip. "This one will work just fine, thank you, Totousai."

"It's no trouble at all," he replied and watched the miko pick up the quiver full of arrows that had been situated next to the bow. He certainly had no use for such a thing and if it was what she needed, he was happy to get rid of the weapon. "I'm glad it can be of some use to you."

Quickly, Kagome made her way back out to the main room where the others were waiting. The look of exasperation that both Inuyasha and Sango gave her went ignored though. She wasn't going to let them dictate to her where she could and couldn't go. Tres certainly wasn't going by himself and even Miroku had all but said that she was the best choice.

"That's one problem solved," she said, looking at them both with a bland expression, fully expecting the argument that was likely to follow.

"I still don't think it's a good idea," Inuyasha protested, right on cue. "What if Naraku attacks while the two of you are alone?" That, more than anything else, bugged him beyond belief. Alone, the two of them weren't about to be able to hold their own against that bastard.

"Well, unless you fancy spending a night alone in the woods, I don't see much of an alternative," Kagome replied, trying not to snap at her friend. She knew it was just because he was worried about her, and with good reason. Naraku's threat still loomed in their minds, and it was all too fresh to be dismissed so easily.

"Wait just a damned minute! Who said anything about staying overnight?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes going wide with surprise. Now he was liking this idea even less than before. Having the group split up for so long was just asking for problems and if there was a way to prevent it, he was damned sure going to find it.

"Take a look outside, Inuyasha. We've got maybe an hour of daylight left, if we're lucky. It's going to take at least that long to get to the village and the store is likely to be closed. If we wait to go until the morning, it's just going to be that much longer until we can get started on this. At least by staying the night, we'll only lose an hour or so getting back," Kagome shot back. While she might not like the idea of traveling under such dangerous conditions, giving Naraku time to plan and act was worse.

"An hour or two isn't going to make a damned difference if Totousai doesn't have the machine ready yet," Inuyasha retorted. While he might have lost interest in that part of the conversation, he'd heard the sword smith state that it would take him around a day to complete the machine based on Nightroad's diagram.

"I guess it's too much to ask for you to actually listen all the time, isn't it? We don't know if we'll actually be able to get the gun powder there or not. If all we can get is the ingredients, we'll be busy making it while Totousai is busy," Kagome replied hotly. She wished that just once he didn't have to be so damned difficult. "If you want to come along, then fine. Just realize that you'd be sleeping outside unless you manage to find a way to sneak in unnoticed!"

"There ain't no one that's going to see me if I don't want them to," Inuyasha said with no small amount of arrogance. "Besides, it isn't like I've never slept outside before. One more time isn't going to be a big deal." In fact, sleeping outside was pretty much a way of life for him even before the hunt for Naraku had begun. If nothing else, he'd feel a hell of a lot better going with them.

"Fine, you come with us. We'll stay overnight and come back first thing in the morning," Kagome acquiesced quickly, knowing that there was no reason to object to Inuyasha coming with them. With luck, the extra precaution wouldn't be necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Now that that had been settled, Kagome turned to look at Sango, "Is it alright if we borrow Kirara?"

Slowly, Sango nodded and finished up the list of what they'd need. While she still didn't think it was a good idea to send Kagome off to the village, she knew that with Inuyasha there, no one would touch the girl. "Here's the list," she said and handed it over to the miko before turning to the monk, "Miroku, you'll need to give them the money in order to purchase the supplies."

"Of course," Miroku replied with a sigh, "It's not like they can be expected to perform the same services that I could in order to receive the supplies as payment."

"You mean Kagome won't con people like you will," Inuyasha said with a snort of derision. Times were hard enough without cheating people out of their money and all of them knew it. However, it seemed to be something that Miroku was frequently willing to overlook whenever it suited his purposes.

"Your words wound me, Inuyasha," Miroku protested half heartedly, even though he knew that the hanyou spoke the truth. Still, he never took from those who weren't well off in the first place, so he felt justified on the nights that he felt an ominous presence lurking near a village. Reluctantly, he pulled his coin purse from the folds of his robe and handed it to the miko, "If you wish to make it to the village before dark, you should probably leave soon. "

"Is there anything else we need to get before we go?" Kagome asked while tucking the money into her pocket so that it didn't get lost. Now that she had the list, money and a weapon, the only thing she could think of that needed to be done was inform Tres that they were leaving and that they'd have company. Somehow she doubted he'd be willing to talk with Inuyasha traveling with them, but it was worth a shot. If nothing else, she could always corner him once they were settled in a room. _'He won't have a choice then, he'll have to talk to me.'_

"I do believe you have everything that will be required," Miroku said and then looked over to the Crusnik, "Unless you have something that you'd like her to pick up, Father Nightroad." There was no way that the miko was walking out of the cave without the man knowing she was going and this was the only way to get him to pull his head out of the sand, so to speak.

Father Nightroad's head jerked up immediately upon hearing his name being spoken, and for a moment he wondered just what it was that he had missed when everyone looked at him expectantly. He knew that Kagome was going, he had figured as much when she went looking for a bow, but had something else been decided upon while he was speaking with Totousai? "Are you leaving already?"

"Yes, we'll be leaving in just a couple of minutes," Kagome replied with a slightly amused grin when she saw the befuddled expression on the Crusnik's face. Half the time she was certain that his clumsy and awkward demeanor was nothing more than an act, but at other times such as this one, she wasn't so certain.

Quickly, Father Nightroad pulled himself to his feet and made his way over to her, "You have the list and everything else you need?" While he wasn't exactly happy to see that she was going to the village, he knew that she was the only one likely to be able to help Tres to calm down. If it wasn't for that one little detail, he'd have offered to go with her himself.

"Yes, we'll be gone overnight, so I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning," Kagome replied automatically. The moment the words left her lips, a look of surprise covered the priest's face, but it quickly vanished. However the speculative gleam that entered the Crusnik's eyes had Kagome swallowing hard. She would have had to have been dead in order to miss the sharp bite of jealousy that came resonating through the bond before it quickly vanished.

Even so, she'd known what she'd just felt and hastened to reassure him. Before anyone could react, she grasped his hand and pulled him down so that they were nearly touching. "It's not like that," she whispered softly against his ear. Truly she had no thoughts about seducing Tres in order to get him to open up to her. Eventually, she knew that something would happen between them, but she was content to allow him to make the decision of when he wanted to come to her.

"Kagome," Abel said with a sigh and brought a hand up to caress her cheek, "You may not think so, but I'm not a fool and neither is he. Half the reason for his anger is..." Reluctantly he trailed off, remembering that they had an audience and two of the members had demonic hearing. It wouldn't do to blatantly announce that most of Tres' anger was because of the jealousy that he was unsure of how to deal with. With a sigh, he shook his head. _'I guess it will end up working out somehow.'_

When he didn't continue, Kagome pulled back slightly to look at him curiously and then frowned when he shook his head again. It'd be nice if he'd just come out and say what he'd been thinking, however, she knew by the expression he wasn't going to say anything more. Sighing heavily, she tried to give him a smile, "Everything will be fine, don't worry. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Be careful," Father Nightroad replied and then blushed when the miko brushed her lips against his cheek. As much as he wanted to return the display of affection and then some, it wouldn't be appropriate behavior. So instead, he caressed her cheek with his fingers before releasing her. All he could do was pray for their safety and hope that she managed to help Tres through the difficulties he was having, while maintaining a hold on his own uncertain emotions. _'We need to get things settled between us all soon, but what the resolution will be remains to be seen.' _

Throughout the discussion, Tres had stationed himself near the entrance. It was far enough away to remain unobtrusive, but close enough that he could watch everything that had transpired and now he had seen enough. Resolutely, he stepped forward, his expression one of an icy calm and apparent detachment, "Prolonged goodbyes only serve to delay our departure. If we wish to leave, it must be now."

Inuyasha nearly rolled his eyes at that particular proclamation, even if he happened to agree with the redhead. Hedidn't particularly want to stand there while Kagome and the Crusnik made doe eyes at each other either._ 'If they don't cut it out, someone's going to end up vomiting.'_ Impatiently he cleared his throat, catching their attention, "He's right. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back. You two can continue with that sappy shit later."

"You wouldn't know sappy if it bit you in the ass," Kagome muttered beneath her breath, although she knew that Inuyasha had heard her by the way his ears had twitched. Of course, Abel was left sputtering by the hanyou's comment, which wasn't all that surprising. The Crusnik had that innocent act down pat. With a long suffering sigh, she went towards the entrance and then turned back towards the others, "We'll see everyone tomorrow. Coming, Kirara?"

In response, the fire cat trotted up behind the miko and once they were all outside, she changed into her larger form. For a moment, there seemed to be some confusion about who was going to mount first and Kirara eyed them impatiently. She wasn't exactly happy about the night's trip, but she wasn't going to deny them help either. However, that didn't mean she was going to stand there all night, waiting for them to figure out what they were doing.

When Kirara took the opportunity to head butt Kagome in the thigh, the miko looked down at her in surprise. Immediately Inuyasha knew what the problem was and it was his turn to sigh. The girl was always used to riding behind someone and Tres was making no attempt at moving.

"Just get on already, Kagome," Inuyasha snapped impatiently. Whatever the man's motives were for just standing there, it wasn't his problem. All he wanted to do was get moving and they weren't helping matters.

"I'm going, I'm going. Don't be so impatient," Kagome replied huffily and straddled the fire cat's back. Once she was in place, she was forced to move forward a bit when Tres decided he was going to sit behind her. It was a bit of a surprise when she felt his arms slide around her waist and a surge of possessiveness echoed down through the bond. _'These two are going to be the death of me yet. And here I thought that we women were bad with the jealousy and possessive tendencies.'_

"It's about damned time," Inuyasha muttered and shook his head. Before either of them could make a comment though, he began running in the direction that he knew the village to be. _'The three of them need to figure shit out and soon. I'm beginning to feel like a fucking babysitter here.'_

No words were spoken as Kirara set off after him, moving swiftly through the rapidly cooling night air. The shadows were lengthening around them, bearing witness to the fact that night was about to fall. Ordinary mortals would be helpless in the darkness, but these four moving swiftly were anything but helpless to the creatures of the night.

The pace was grueling, but necessary, and none of them were about to slow in their headlong dash. A sense of urgency wove itself around them, dispelling the fragile illusion of peace that could be found in the darkness. From time to time, Tres tightened his hold on the miko, although she wasn't sure if it was to reassure her or a prelude to something more. Nor was she about to question it, she just accepted it for what it was, a touch that reminded her that she was not alone.

That touch was the one constant through the journey and she was thankful that she had at least that much for support. Even Inuyasha seemed tenser than usual and Kagome knew just how uncertain he was about what dangers might be lurking in the darkness. While he was a skilled fighter, neither she nor Tres would be of much assistance under the circumstances, and every so often she whispered a prayer to the Gods for their safe arrival at the village.

More than once, Inuyasha had stopped sharply, having sensed the danger that lurked nearby, but nothing ever manifested itself. For that much, he was grateful and even he breathed a sigh of relief when the outline of the village became apparent.

"We're almost there," he called up to them and pushed himself to even greater speeds. Kirara, of course, could keep up rather easily with him, so it only took a few more minutes before they came to a stop on the outskirts of town.

Carefully, Kagome slid off of the fire cat's back and looked at Inuyasha, "I guess this is where we part company, isn't it?" At his nod, she sighed heavily, "I guess the first thing we need to do is find the inn and the shop."

"That's easy," Inuyasha replied and scented the air carefully. Although the scent of humans made it difficult to discern many things, he could at least give her a direction to start, "The market is in the center of the village, but it doesn't seem like it's active, so you'll have to wait until morning."

"Perfect," Kagome replied with a touch of exasperation. While she'd been expecting as much, she'd still been holding a small amount of hope. "Can you tell us where the Inn is then? And where do you plan on sleeping for the night?"

"Don't worry about that, I'll be nearby if there's a problem," Inuyasha stated firmly, brushing that half of her question aside. He had no intention of letting the girl out of earshot, even if she did have Tres nearby to protect her. Scenting the air again, he pinpointed the area with the largest amount of humans, "It's over there, see the large building over to the left?"

Kagome had to squint and stare for a few long moments before she nodded. No matter how hard she tried, she'd never see as well in the dark as he did. "I see it, sort of, anyway. I suppose the only thing we can do tonight is get a room and go to the market first thing in the morning."

"Positive, that is the most logical course of action," Tres said quietly and moved up to stand beside the miko, "You have the appropriate currency for the transactions we wish to conclude?" His first impression of the village wasn't anything spectacular, but if they had the supplies that they needed, it would be well worth the trip.

"Yes, I have the money," Kagome replied and fingered the pouch of coins that she'd procured from Miroku. The look that had been on the monk's face when he handed over the money had been that of a man parting with his favorite mistress, something that still made her shake her head in mirth. "We should be going. If we stand out here too long, people are going to get suspicious."

"As if they're not going to be suspicious as it is," Inuyasha groused before leaping up into a tree. He knew that Tres was likely to be looked upon with suspicion, even if Kagome was not. His style of dress was too unusual to not have people question his origins. As it was, the only reason that the miko wasn't likely to be suspicious was because they'd traveled this area often enough, there was a good chance that someone would recognize her. _'Kagome would kick my ass if she heard me say this, but this is one time that the similarities between her and Kikyo might be of some help.'_

"Thank you ever so much for that brilliant observation," Kagome replied dryly before shaking her head, "Come on, Tres. Let's head to the inn before Captain Obvious up there decides to point out something else." She couldn't help but laugh when she saw the scowl form on Inuyasha's face, however, to the hanyou's credit, he didn't say anything in return. That in itself was likely a blessing since once the two of them squared off, it was likely to continue for hours and she was more than ready to find a warm bed to fall into.

"Was that really necessary?" Tres asked coldly, inclining his head slightly to look down at the woman walking beside him. While he had known that the hanyou hadn't taken serious offense to the pet name, Tres had to wonder what would prompt Kagome to bait him in such a fashion.

The man's tone had Kagome looking up at him sharply, "It's called playing, you should try it sometime, Tres." She hadn't forgotten the attitude he had been giving off earlier and she wasn't about to allow him to turn it on her. Oh, she knew what the motivation was behind it, but that didn't make it acceptable either.

"We do not have time for playing games. We need to focus on the mission and destroying Naraku," he replied curtly and increased his pace in an attempt to put an end to the discussion.

"Oh, like we're really going to get a hell of a lot done when there's nothing we can do until morning. One little comment and all of a sudden I'm not being serious enough about it?" Kagome asked with a scoff. She was trying not to allow his attitude to grate on her nerves, but it was a futile attempt at best. _'Getting stuck with hardheaded men seems to be a bad habit. Maybe I should have asked Abel to come instead. At least he'd be able to see the humor in what I said.'_

"Need I remind you, miko, that our enemy is currently alive and is the one responsible for the destruction of the future as we know it?" Tres asked coldly, leveling a look at the girl that would freeze water before moving ahead of her again. He knew that his words were purposefully meant to hurt, but he felt justified in saying them since he believed that she needed to be reminded of exactly why they were here. _'It's time to be serious, not engage in pointless banter. We need to concentrate on the mission at hand.'_

The words had been like a slap in the face and Kagome stopped dead in her tracks to stare at his retreating back, unable to believe what she'd just heard. Quickly, she hurried after him, more than ready to lay into him, "Excuse me?"

"Hey," Inuyasha hissed from the roof of a building, getting the miko's attention, "As interesting as this lovers' spat is, get your asses moving and get to the inn. Neither one of you are going to be doing any of us much good fighting out in the middle of the damned courtyard!" He'd been listening to the entire conversation with growing irritation and he was about ready to kick both their asses for being so stupid.

As much as Kagome hated to admit it, this was one time that Inuyasha was right. Surely by now they were attracting attention even if no one had come out to speak to them yet. It wouldn't do any of them any good for the village to turn them away. Then they'd be forced to return to Totousai's empty handed. Angrily she caught up to Tres and leveled a glare at him, "We aren't finished with this."

"Acknowledged," Tres replied and said nothing further to the girl. He was well aware that he'd managed to push her buttons, but at least now she was acting more seriously. He could feel her anger easily, and to his surprise the sense of worry nearly matched it, however, it wasn't coming from the miko. _'Father Nightroad has become aware of the situation, if not the circumstances behind it.' _Something told him that if things did not get resolved soon, the Crusnik would arrive to settle the dispute between him and the miko. A grimace crossed his face as an unbidden thought entered his mind,_ 'As if we didn't have enough interference already.' _Quickly, he led Kagome to the entrance to the inn, but she stopped him before he could open the door.

"Times are different here," she stated in way of explanation and then knocked gently on the door. Through the thin wood, she could hear the soft footsteps of one of the occupants inside approaching. Moments later, the door opened to reveal the thinly lined face of the one she assumed to be the innkeeper. "Good evening."

"May I help you?" The old woman asked after carefully scrutinizing the woman standing in front of her. The method in which she and her companion were dressed was certainly unusual, but she recognized the girl, even if she'd never spoken to her before.

"I hope so, we're in need of a room for the night. Might you have one available?" Kagome asked, carefully and put an unassuming smile on her face despite how irritated she was with the man at her side. Once they were in a room, she could ask him just where the hell he got off, but they had to get inside first.

"One room for the both of you?" the old woman asked uncertainly, looking between the couple standing in front of her with interest. She hadn't heard of the miko getting married, but then the village that she'd come from was quite a distance away. Perhaps news just hadn't traveled that quickly. If that was indeed the case, she would have plenty of gossip to speak of later.

The question had Kagome blushing slightly, because she knew exactly what the old woman was thinking. Sharing a room alone with a male was practically unheard of, unless the woman had been properly married. There was the option of asking for two rooms, but to do so would put them both at great risk for an attack if something should manage to slip past Inuyasha._ 'I guess we're going to have to let people believe that it's so. I just hope she doesn't ask too many questions about where and when.'_

"Yes, one room would be fine," she said and then hastened to add, "we were recently married you see." It was a complete lie, but the truth would have taken far too much explanation to go through. While they weren't married in a conventional sense, the bond that they shared was far stronger than any wedding vows.

"Ah, I see. I'd like to offer you my congratulations. May your union be swiftly blessed," the old woman said with a gentle smile before stepping to the side, "Please come in and I will show you to a room."

"Thank you very much," Kagome replied politely and stepped into the building with Tres following her closely. Once inside, Kagome removed her shoes and motioned for the redhead to do the same. Fortunately, he didn't protest the action and she gave a small sigh of relief. _'We really don't want to offend our hostess or anyone else in town while we are here. We'll have to be careful.'_

"You're quite welcome. Tell me, you are the one called Kagome, are you not?" she asked while leading them through the main room.

"Oh yes, and my husband is called Tres," Kagome replied softly. It was a bit of a surprise that the woman was choosing to deal directly with her instead of the priest considering how it was usually the men who conducted business while the women remained silent. _'It's probably because I'm more familiar than he is.'_

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. I've heard many tales of your journeys through the years, honored Priestess. Tell me, what brings you to our village?" Curiosity was eating her alive since everyone believed that once the terror that Naraku brought was over, the miko would remain in her own village. That was obviously not the case and she was praying that this visit didn't portend a calamity of some sort.

"We've come to visit your market place since we were told that this village has certain items we're in need of," Kagome replied and arched a brow at the woman walking beside her, "How much will the room be for the night? I'm afraid that we'll have to leave early in the morning since the rest of our traveling companions are waiting for us a few hours away from here."

Slowly, the woman shook her head, "Do not trouble yourself with the charges for one room. It's a privilege to have such an honored guest in our midst, especially after your recent wedding." Silently, the woman said a prayer to the Gods as she looked at first Kagome and then Tres, taking note of the red-head's determined and annoyed expression. If indeed they were recently married, then it was likely that he wished time alone with his new bride and she was hindering that desire with idle chatter. "I am sure that your presence here will bring us favor from the Gods. Ah, here we are."

Politely, she opened the door for the two visitors and stepped to the side so that they could enter, "You'll find linens in the closet. Is there anything else that you'll require for the night?"

As tempting as it was to ask for a hot bath to be prepared, Kagome refrained. Gently, she shook her head and smiled, "We'll be fine. Thank you again for giving us shelter on such short notice."

"It's no trouble at all," the old woman replied and then stepped out so that she could close the door gently. After bidding them goodnight, she returned to the front room where her needlework had been put aside.

Once the door had closed, Kagome turned to look at the redhead who was currently examining the large futon on the floor as if it had suddenly become the most interesting this in the world. His actions weren't helping her frayed nerves and frustration edged her voice, "Alright, what's your problem this time?"

"There is no problem to speak of," Tres replied without bothering to look up at her. He was well aware of what she was referring to and at the moment he had no desire to deal with it, even though she'd told him earlier that they were far from finished with this particular fight. To do so meant that he would have to own up to the fact that he was upset over everything that had transpired since the last battle and he just wasn't ready to let it go.

"Oh cut the crap, why don't you?" Kagome snapped in irritation and stalked up to the redhead, "You've been acting like a jackass ever since this afternoon and I want to know why. Is it because I was the one to bring Kanna down? Cause if it is, I'll tell you right now that you're being stupid and need to get over it."

The statement had his expression darkening even further than it had been both at her boldness in making such a statement like that to his face and for thinking such a thing about him in the first place. "Your assumptions are unfounded and unwarranted. I suggest you actually put some thought behind your words and learn what it is you speak of before you open your mouth," Tres replied coldly and turned to face the miko.

"Are they?" Kagome asked imperiously, "You sure didn't look happy that I was the one to finish the fight and then that little display of jealousy was just the icing on the cake. What, did it offend your sense of manliness that a woman had to do something you couldn't in order to save the day?" She knew that the questions were likely to piss him off, but she was beyond caring. One way or another, they were going to work these problems out.

When the redhead didn't say anything, she continued to push on, "Or am I completely off base here? Would you be acting the same way if Abel had been the one to do what I did? Cause you know that he could have as well. You were the only one in real danger of losing your soul, you know? If he had changed forms, he could have easily taken Kanna out. How would you have acted then?"

"Father Nightroad's status is immaterial at this point. His lack of action endangered the mission. If he had been capable of subduing the target as you say, then he must be held accountable for his lack of action," Tres replied and turned from her, shrugging his heavy coat off in the process. It irked him that what the miko said was likely the truth. He'd felt the rage coming off of the Crusnik and there had been no mistaking the surge of power coming from the man. Irritation flowed through him with the knowledge that they'd all been put in danger because Father Nightroad couldn't embrace his true form and he was forced to admit to himself that was the crux of the problem. It wasn't an admission he was comfortable with making, and not for the first time, he found himself wishing there was a way he could let Kagome know this so she could help him work it out. Unfortunately, he wasn't about to break the silence about the thoughts that continued to plague him, but only because this was one of those instances in which he was uncertain of how to proceed.

At this, Kagome rolled her eyes as if to say that he was being incredibly dense, "Is that your way of saying you just don't want to admit that I'm right? Face it, you're mad and I've become an easy target. Well, I've got a news flash for you, Tres. I didn't do anything wrong and I'm not the one that suggested we leave you behind either, so go find someone else to get pissed off at. I'm not in the mood to play the part of your little whipping girl at the moment."

"The suggestion should never have been made in the first place. My orders are to remain with you, regardless of the situation. You are under my protection, no one else's, and the others would be doing well to remember that," Tres replied testily, his anger quickly coming back to the surface with the memory. There would have been no way in hell that he would have accepted the decision, even if Kagome had agreed to it. Caterina's orders superseded anyone else's, including Father Nightroad's if it came down to it. "If the suggestion is ever made again, I shall make sure no one ever has the audacity to forget it a second time."

Kagome blinked in surprise at the venom she heard in his voice and the surge of jealousy that came from him as well. Carefully she walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. Apparently, this had been something that had been bothering him for quite a while. "Tres, you know that they're just trying to do what's best for us all, right? We wouldn't leave you behind, no matter who suggested it."

Aside from a tensing of the muscles beneath her fingertips, the redhead gave no indication of having heard her. Gently, she squeezed his arm and allowed some of her irritation to drain away. Now, what Abel had been trying to convey earlier became clear. It wasn't just the fact that she'd been the one to protect him, it was everything combined. _'In spite of his partnership with Abel, Tres sees himself as my sole guardian and I've been ignoring the fact that he's given up everything for me. He's risked it all, including his life more than once and I've been blind to his feelings throughout it all.' _That, more than anything, she knew, had to irritate him to no end. _'I've been so stupid. How could I forget that?'_

"I'm sorry," she said at last, after taking that moment to try and see things from his point of view. The man before her, to her knowledge, had never wanted to be a human in the first place. It was only because someone dear to him had asked it of him that he'd even come with her, accompanying her on what most would consider to be a suicide mission. And then to be thrown into a different time period, and cursed with emotions that he'd only dealt with on a limited basis would try the strongest of individuals. Was is any wonder that he didn't know how to deal with them? _'What can I do to help him now? How can I possibly help him accept all these changes that he never even asked for?'_

Tres turned to look at her, taking in her expression warily, "Are you?" Was she apologizing for the whole fucked up situation, or only pieces of it? Did she realize just how difficult it was watching the way sheinteracted with the others? Even the seemingly innocent touches that happened during the day to day activities between her and the Crusnik were grating, because it felt like he was being left out. It was like he was just a bystander to something important, watching something he couldn't be a part of. Then to watch her touching Inuyasha as she had been doing earlier in the day was just too much. Just how much longer would they force him to suffer in silence, leaving him to deal with the overload of emotions that he hadn't the experience to deal with?

"Of course I am," Kagome started to say, but she was quickly stopped when the redhead pushed her up against the wall, his stare containing an intensity that had her swallowing hard. "Tres, what are you doing?"

"I'm not so sure you are, miko," Tres replied quietly, keeping the girl trapped in place. He could feel the uncertainty surging from her and it nearly made him snort at the absurdity of it all. Didn't she know what he wanted from her? Determined to make things clearer, he leaned down and captured her lips in a bruising kiss. While he might not have had any experience, he'd been watching her with the Crusnik for far too long not to know what to do.

The action had caught her off guard, he could tell that much by the way that she gasped and grabbed at the thin shirt that he wore. Yet she made no move to push him away and so he took that as his cue to see just how far that he could push. The softness of her lips against his own was exquisite and something he wished to savor, but at the same time he needed more. Deftly, he slipped his tongue into her mouth and was pleased when she began mimicking his actions, even going so far as to press her body closer to his own.

Whatever hesitancy that the miko might have been feeling vanished within moments and the emotions that Tres felt resonating through the bond made one thing clear, she wanted this as much as he did. Now he could understand why his partner seemed almost anxious to get time alone with the girl. He would have acted the same way. But now was not the time to be thinking of the Crusnik, and he resolutely pushed those thoughts away. He was more content to concentrate on the girl in his arms and the way that she felt against him was making it extremely easy to do just that.

Abruptly, Kagome tore her lips away, trying to get a grip on what was happening. Yes, she wanted him, but was this because he wanted her as well or was this moment just because Abel had gotten something that Tres hadn't as of yet. Her breathing was ragged when she looked into his eyes, "Are we... really doing this, Tres?"

"Yes," Tres replied without hesitation and leaned in to capture her lips a second time. He wasn't going to give her a chance to doubt or to question his motives. He needed this, he needed her. While instinctively he knew that she cared about him as much as any of the others, it was hard to shove his feelings of jealousy aside. He wanted her, all of her, instead of the small piece that he'd been granted. Oh, he'd be able to accept sharing her in time, but at this very moment he wanted nothing more than to erase the thought of his partner from her mind. Drawing on his memories, he allowed them to guide his actions. While he plundered her mouth and stole her breath away, he took her hands into his own and lifted her arms until they were pinned against the wall. A moment of holding them there was enough to convey that he didn't want them moved. Once he was certain she understood, he slowly ran his hands down her body until he found the first button of her blouse.

A growl of frustration nearly escaped him when the obstruction decided to be difficult and for a moment, it was tempting to just rip the garment down the front. A small part of him realized though, that wouldn't be in his best interest, especially since they'd have to return to the others sooner or later. He had no desire for any of the others to see more of her than necessary and he would gladly take the head of anyone foolish enough to look at her in such a fashion. In the end, it wasn't necessary because the buttons slid free with greater ease, baring her skin to the cool night air and allowing him his first glimpse of the prize that awaited him.

_Later In The Evening_

With great effort, Kagome rolled over until she was facing him and she couldn't help but giggle when she saw his expression. "You know, it's probably a good thing that we don't have to leave until morning."

Tres raised an eyebrow at that statement and waited for her to continue. He could only hope that she wasn't about to tell him they still weren't finished. At this point in time, he doubted that part of his body would respond again without at least a few hours of rest.

"Almost as if she'd read his mind, Kagome shook her head, "No, I'm not going to ask for a repeat performance just yet... Maybe before we leave though..." A smirk crossed her face then, that was definitely an idea, but one to be considered later.

"Then what is your reasoning for that statement?" Tres asked when she'd fallen silent. He could almost see the gears turning in her head as she thought about whatever devious plan she had in mind and something told him that he needed to know exactly what her thoughts were.

"Oh, I just thought it's a good thing because I don't think I'm going to be able to walk any time soon," Kagome said with a rueful grin. Even now her thighs were still quivering and no doubt if she tried to walk now, she'd embarrass herself.

A smirk of pride crossed his face when he heard that statement because he was the one responsible for putting her in such a state. Of course, he wasn't about to inform her that he was most likely suffering from the same affliction and didn't have the energy to bother himself with attempting to stand. If any residual weakness remained in the morning, he'd deal with it however necessary. To his way of thinking though, it was either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you looked at it, that they'd brought Kirara with them. If they hadn't, there would have been no way in hell they'd be making the journey back just yet.

_Elsewhere_

Outside, under the cover of darkness, two rivals sat on the rooftop of the inn and lamented to each other about what they'd lost; and about what could have been if either of them had managed to win the miko's heart. Neither could say they were happy about the current developments, in fact their moods were a mixture of sorrow, anger, and regret. However, in the end, they both agreed that they would bear it and deal with their feelings in their own way, if only for Kagome's sake.

"Think they're finished?" Inuyasha asked quietly, but not bothering to look over to his companion. Instead, his gaze remained trained on the moon while he thought about how drastically life had changed. At one time, he might have hoped that it would have been him in that room with the miko. But there had been too many mistakes, on both of their parts, and now, someone else had filled the space he'd once occupied in her heart. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he couldn't hold it against her, not when he bore the majority of the blame.

"They'd better be," Kouga replied, his voice tight with irritation. The last thing he'd been expecting when he'd caught wind of Inuyasha's scent was to find the man sitting on the roof to an inn. Nor was he expecting to hear the sounds echoing up from the room below. While he knew that she was beyond his reach now, this just served to further drive the truth home. His woman was down there in the arms of another male, and there wasn't shit he could do about it. _'No, not my woman. I guess I was too blind to see that she was never mine to begin with.'_

"And if they're not? What are you going to do, go down there and demand they shut the hell up and go to sleep?" Inuyasha snapped irritably. Somehow he wouldn't put it past the demon next to him to attempt just that, but he knew just how well the priest would react to such an intrusion. It was clear that Tres still harbored a grudge against Kouga, and this time, there was a good chance that the man would eliminate the wolf. Assuming of course, that Kagome didn't kill him first for walking in on them.

For a moment, Kouga actually considered the idea. While he knew that there was no breaking the two up, they could at least be courteous enough to keep the noise down. A small part of him couldn't blame the redhead however, if it had been him, he'd have gotten the miko to scream his name much more quickly than what had happened. A smirk crossed his face in spite of it all, "Nah, you heard what happened. The boy sure as hell took his own sweet time in getting her off. He either doesn't know what to do with it, or he's got a pencil dick. They'll probably go to sleep now anyway."

At this, Inuyasha started laughing at Kouga's audacity. The wolf certainly had a lot of nerve to speak of things he knew nothing about. Still, it was amusing to see how off base he was, at least in one respect. "Pencil dick?" he repeated with a shake of his head, "I hate to break it to you, Kouga, but that one down there is a piece of work. I doubt Kagome's going to be in any shape to walk tomorrow."

"And you know this how?" Kouga asked with a raised brow. Somehow he couldn't picture Inuyasha as being one to check out another man's dick, although that might explain just why the man never got off his ass to go after Kagome.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Because, Dumbass, Kagome was the one who was taking care of his injuries after they were both trapped underground. I stood guard more than once while she helped him bath and I hate to say, that thing would put most men to shame." It wasn't a lie either, although he'd been wondering if Kagome was going to run screaming the first time she saw it hard. He'd almost been willing to lay money on it, but now he was glad he hadn't brought the idea of a bet up.

"Watch who you're calling Dumbass, dog shit. So he's got a big dick, that's even worse. Obviously he doesn't know how to use it then. I hope the other moron is better with his, otherwise they're never going to get laid again," Kouga replied with a shrug of the shoulders. The news would have made him happy, if he hadn't have known that Kagome was not the type to take a lover on the side. It had shocked him to the core when he'd found out she'd been bonded to two men as it was.

"I'll call you a dumbass when you're acting like one. And I'd say he did pretty damned well for himself considering that he wasn't even human six months ago. Don't worry about Kagome, they've got it covered," Inuyasha stated and looked at Kouga, just so he could see that smug expression turn sour.

"Not a human? What sort of shit did you smoke before I got here?" Kouga asked incredulously. If Tres hadn't been human six months ago, then what the hell was he? His energy was completely human, as was his smell. Abilities wise, he seemed to be sorely lacking and was actually holding the group back from going to Naraku now.

"I wasn't smoking anything, Stupid. I meant what I said, he wasn't human. He came from Kagome's time when they have machines that can pass as a real person. Somehow she tapped into the jewel's power even though Naraku has it, and wished him to be human," Inuyasha said by way of explanation. It was greatly simplifying things, but he didn't see where he needed to go into the specific details. Besides, he still didn't understand half of it either and he didn't want to bother trying to bullshit his way through it.

"Why the hell would she do that?" Kouga asked dubiously. While he didn't know much about the machinery from the miko's time, surely having a being that couldn't be injured as easily would be a hell of a lot better than what they'd ended up with.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the night sky again, "In her time, the well was destroyed by a war. In order to get back, they had to use the Goshinboku and Midoriko's spirit. Don't ask me why, it just happened."

"Sounds like a piss poor trade to me," Kouga replied, still not convinced. But it didn't matter, what was done was done and there wasn't any changing it. "What about the other guy? What's his story?"

For a moment Inuyasha remained silent. In his opinion, Abel was the more useful of the two, but he was also the one with the most emotional baggage. Even he knew the man was still struggling with what had happened, and honestly, Inuyasha wasn't certain how things were going to work out. It would be telling to see how the Crusnik reacted once they returned, because surely the man had to know what had happened between his partner and Kagome.

"He's the one you don't want to mess with," Inuyasha said at last, breaking the silence that had stretched out between them, "You've seen him fight and I have no idea why he didn't kill you when you went at it. By all rights, you should have died before I'd even got there."

"That's a crock of shit if ever I heard it," Kouga scoffed, even though he knew that what the hanyou said was true. He'd been barely holding his own against the man, and if something had been holding him back then Inuyasha was probably correct. It just wasn't an admission he had any intentions of saying out loud.

"Think what you want, but I've seen him fight, and feed," Inuyasha responded quietly. Although the Crusnik had a definite distaste for demonic blood, it was the closest he was going to find to a vampire's in this age. At one time, he'd questioned Abel as to why he continued to hunt when normal food would sustain him and the answer had surprised him. Each time he used his greater form, it took energy and the longer he went without feeding, the weaker he became. It was only because he refused to put Kagome at risk by being unable to defend her with all of his strength, that he sought out demons that were strong enough to survive through the ordeal.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he's the one that manages the killing blow on Naraku this time," he continued, almost as an afterthought.

"No he won't, not if I reach him first," Kouga replied grimly. Although he knew that each one of the others had a reason to want Naraku dead, he still had every intention of taking him out himself, if at all possible.

"You're an idiot," Inuyasha said with a snort, "Let me guess, you're going to go on ahead and try and hunt the bastard down while we're stuck at Totousai's, aren't you?"

"You're not as dumb as you look, dog breath," Kouga retorted quickly, "You and the others are going to have to take a couple of days to get your shit together. If I can find Naraku and take him out first, it means Kagome doesn't end up anywhere near that bastard again. I'd say it's worth the risk, don't you?"

"I still say you're being stupid, but I'm not gonna try and stop you if that's what you want to do," Inuyasha said after a moment. Kagome was likely to skin him alive if she realized that he was sending the wolf off to find the enemy, but the way he looked at it was that there was every chance Kouga would turn up empty handed. After all, how many years had they all been searching in different directions without seeing a trace of him? If nothing else, it was worth it just to get the wolf out of his hair, he had enough to deal with already.

"It's about time you grew a brain," Kouga replied with a smirk, "Do me a favor, don't tell Kagome I stopped by or where I'm going. It's nice to know that she'd be worried about me and all, but she'd also insist on leaving right away. Give me a chance to catch up to the bastard first, if we can keep Kagome out of the fight this time, let's do it." That was his ultimate goal in seeking the hanyou out this time, and he knew that Inuyasha would grant him that one request. If nothing else, they both wanted to keep the girl safe and the best way to do that was to keep her away from Naraku.

"Fine, but if she finds out you went on ahead, I'm not covering your ass," Inuyasha said and nodded his head in agreement. While he knew that Kagome wanted her revenge for her family's deaths and her own, he didn't relish the idea of her being anywhere near the bastard either. "I'll do what you want, Kouga, but just this once."


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Special thanks to Madmiko for taking the time to beta this chapter.

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

The sunlight pouring through the window was what pushed Kagome into wakefulness and she bit back a groan. What she wouldn't give to be able to bury her face back into the pillow and forget about the things that they had to do today. _'As tempting as it sounds, I'd better not. I don't think Inuyasha will wait much longer before barging in here whether the inn keeper likes it or not.'_

It was a bit surprising to her that he hadn't done so already and it would be best not to push her luck. Reluctantly, she sat up and winced when she felt how sore she was from the nights earlier activities. As much as she enjoyed the activity, she was going to have to refrain from indulging at all until Naraku was dead._ 'I can see it now, Naraku will show up expecting a fight and I'm going to be too damned sore to move.'_

A sour glance was directed at the person responsible for her current condition. It would figure that he was still sleeping peacefully, and knowing him, he wasn't likely to be suffering at all once he did wake up. Speaking of which, if she couldn't continue to sleep, neither should he.

"Hey, Tres," Kagome said and sharply nudged his bare shoulder, "Wake up. We need to get going if we're going to get the stuff that we need."

It was enough to rouse him from his slumber, even if he hadn't wanted to leave the particular dream that he'd been having. But once he realized that since she was awake, it meant that particular fantasy didn't have to stay in his mind. Quickly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down on top of him. "Don't worry, Kagome," he murmured into her hair, "We'll leave within the hour."

"Tres," Kagome whimpered and tried pulling away from the insistent redhead. It was obvious what was on his mind, given what was currently prodding her in the thigh. "We don't have time for that."

"Are you positive?" Tres asked her, cocking an eyebrow at her refusal. The night before she seemed to be rather enamored of the idea of trysting again before they had to depart, but now she was acting completely different.

"Yes, we have to go before Inuyasha comes to get us," Kagome replied and sat back up, wincing again when specific muscles throbbed. Somehow she was beginning to doubt that she'd ever become accustomed to this sort of thing. _'He needs to license that thing as a dangerous weapon. If I'd known how much I'd be hurting right now, I'd have told him to get that thing away from me while I had the chance!'_

The way the miko moved so gingerly however, did not go unnoticed. "Are you injured?" Tres inquired with concern while looking her over carefully. He'd known that she hadn't gone anywhere during the night, so the only thing that he could surmise was that he had somehow been the one to cause it.

"No, I'm fine, just a little bit sore. It'll pass," Kagome said with a sigh and stood up as carefully as she could. The next hour or so was going to suck considering she didn't know how much walking they were going to have to do. With luck, they'd be able to find everything they needed at one place, even though it seemed unlikely. _'I should look for more of the herbs Kaede gave me as well. I've only got another few days at most before it's completely gone and I've been stretching my supplies thin enough as it is.' _She could only hope that the diluted tea she'd been taking still worked as effectively as a full dose, otherwise she was in trouble. Of course, she hadn't exactly expected to be having an intimate encounter with Tres, but as she'd come to learn, she couldn't exactly plan for everything.

"If you are certain," Tres replied and stood up to join her. It was rather annoying that they couldn't continue with what he'd had in mind, but there was no getting around the fact that he'd just have to deal with his... current problem.

Kagome turned to look at him when she heard the resignation in his voice, and nearly laughed when she saw what he was looking at. "Is that even going to fit in your pants, or am I going to have to do the shopping while you wait for it to go away?"

The look that he gave her was enough to set her off and it only got worse as her laughter continued. On one hand she could sympathize with the man, but he made it so damned difficult when he was looking at her with that look of resignation. _'Poor boy, one taste and he can't get enough. I think I might have created a monster.'_

Shaking her head with mirth, Kagome began walking around the room and collecting her clothing. While it was gross that she'd have to wear yesterday's clothing, with luck it wouldn't be long before she could change into a fresh set of clothes. "We should hurry," she said at last, "the inn keeper could walk in at any time and I don't want her getting a look at my man."

The wink Kagome gave him was enough to shake Tres out of his resignation. He rather liked the way that she'd put that, even if she had just been teasing. Quickly, he snatched up his pants which just happened to be laying nearby and he began to yank them on. Of course, the process would have gone faster if the miko hadn't chosen that particular moment to bend over. Really, he didn't know how the hell the Crusnik had managed to contain himself around her all this time when he knew what was awaiting him beneath that clothing.

Seeing that the redhead's attention was wandering from what he was supposed to be doing, Kagome sighed in exasperation, "I can go behind the screen you know."

"Negative, such action is not necessary," Tres replied and buttoned his pants. With the threat of the show he'd been enjoying being removed, he didn't hesitate to move a bit faster when dealing with his shirt. The jacket and his borrowed gun was the final touch to be added, and soon enough he stood ready to go.

"Alright, let's hurry," Kagome said while trying to untangle her hair with her fingers. She knew that she had to look a mess, but if nothing else, maybe she could do a little damage control. _'Whose bright idea was it to leave without overnight supplies? We're going to be lucky if they don't turn us away on sight!'_

"Your appearance is satisfactory," Tres said as he walked, trying to reassure her enough that she'd actually pay attention to where she was walking. She was lucky she hadn't bumped into someone yet while they traversed the hallway. He had to admit he rather liked the tousled look that she was wearing, and the fact that he was the cause for it made it all that much more enjoyable.

"Just satisfactory huh?" Kagome asked ruefully and stopped fiddling with her hair. It would be too much, she supposed, to expect him to actually say that she was attractive or anything of the sort. Perhaps in time he'd figure out more... complimentary ways of expressing what he thought. But for now she wasn't going to worry about it. She'd seen his reaction to her earlier, that was more than enough to tell her what he thought of her looks.

The question she posed didn't seem to require an answer, so Tres remained silent on the subject. They reached the main room quickly enough and to his surprise the inn keeper was nowhere to be found. It was customary, Kagome had told him, to thank their host for giving them shelter through the night, but they were on something of a schedule. When he didn't see the old woman, he looked to Kagome, "We should continue. There is a chance that she has duties of her own to attend to."

"I guess you're right," Kagome said and took one last look around. There were a couple of people in the room, but no one that she recognized. Shrugging her shoulders, she continued walking towards the door and made her way outside. The bright sunlight made her squint for a moment, but she wasn't given a chance to pause for long.

"It's about damned time you two got up, it's almost the middle of the day!" Inuyasha hissed from the roof top, gaining the miko's attention. He'd heard every word of the conversation within and Kagome had been right. If they'd taken much longer he would have found a way in to wake their asses up.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed, her eyes going wide with surprise, "What are you doing out in the open? Someone might see you!" Really, the hanyou had a poor sense of when to reveal himself, especially considering the bright clothing that he wore.

"I was waiting for you. What does it look like?" Inuyasha retorted and ducked down when someone slowly walked past. Once the coast was clear, he looked over the edge at the miko again, "Now, if you don't mind, hurry it up. We need to get back to Totousai's so we can get started."

"We're going, we're going," Kagome said, huffing lightly before she turned and walked away with Tres following her closely. It would seem that things would never change where Inuyasha was concerned. _'Once a slave driver, always a slave driver. Oh well, the sooner we can get this done, the sooner he'll quit complaining.'_

"The market is this way," Tres said quietly and led Kagome in another direction. The way that she'd set off would take them to the outskirts of town, and no doubt Inuyasha would be there to ask where the hell they thought they were going.

_'It figures__. He gets me so flustered and then I forget where I'm even going.' _Kagome thought and allowed Tres to guide her. It wasn't long before the crowd thickened and she realized they were attracting quite a bit of attention. In order to blend in, she kept her entire posture demure as a proper woman should. If nothing else it would help the people to relax around them a bit, even if they were obviously not from the area. Their clothing if nothing else was more than enough to proclaim that much and they didn't need the problems that being an outsider could bring.

Fortunately, no one stopped them in order to ask questions, although when she looked up into Tres' face, she immediately knew why. Even though most people would say that he was expressionless, he radiated a cold, foreboding chill that kept people at arm's length. He looked every part of the bodyguard that he was, and then some. Shaking her head, Kagome took to scanning the shops until she found the one they were looking for. "In here, Tres."

Quickly, the redhead followed her into the building she'd indicated and scanned the room until he saw the one who was most likely the shop keeper. Without breaking stride, he walked over to the man and immediately gained his attention. "We are looking to purchase gun powder and were informed that you would have an adequate supply for sale."

"Gun powder?" The shop keeper repeated suspiciously. It wasn't often that someone inquired about it and he was reluctant to admit that he had any in stock considering that the man was an outsider. A strangely dressed one at that. "Who is it that's asking and why?"

"Excuse me," Kagome said, bowing politely before taking her place next to Tres, "You must forgive my husband. We are not from around these parts and we were told that you were one of the few people who might have what we are looking for."

"I see, young Miss. Tell me, you look to be familiar, although I cannot place your husband. Might I have seen you before?" He was a good one for remembering faces and he was certain that he'd seen this particular woman at least once or twice within the past couple of years.

"You might have," she replied with a smile, "My name is Kagome and I've come through this village a few times while we were hunting Naraku. I remembered stopping here to purchase supplies a few times, so I'm sure we've done business together before." She nearly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the recognition dawn in his eyes.

"I knew that I had seen you somewhere before, honored priestess," the shop keeper beamed with delight, "it is most fortunate that you have come to our village once again. You said you were seeking gun powder?"

"Yes," Kagome replied and graced the man with another smile, putting all the charm she could muster into the conversation, "We've run out, and I'm afraid that it is imperative that we acquire a supply to carry us through until we reach home. Please tell me that you have some on hand." If they didn't, Kagome had the feeling they were shit out of luck, but she wasn't going to borrow trouble before she had to.

"We do," the shop keeper said carefully, "I'm sorry that I might have led you to believe that I didn't. We must be careful about who we sell our supplies to. Even after all the battles that have been fought to make this village safe, we're still plagued by bandits and demons looking for an easy mark." Not more than a month ago they'd been hit by a spirit kitsune of great repute, but fortunately the beast had been looking for things such as silks, jewels and exotic spices. Most of which, they did not keep in abundance because it made the entire village a target.

"I understand. These are troubling times and we've got to take whatever precautions are necessary," Kagome said with a wave of her hand. While the village's troubles were bothersome, there really wasn't much that she could do to help them. At the moment, their number one priority had to be Naraku's elimination. With luck, once he was gone the unrest among the demons at least would calm somewhat.

Tres watched with interest as the miko engaged the man's attention with ease. Now he understood why she was so insistent that she come along. If she hadn't, most likely the man would have insisted that they didn't have the gun powder in stock. He would have been forced to return empty handed and face the criticism of the demon exterminator once again.

That, however, wasn't something that he was going to need to worry about. Kagome was doing an excellent job of securing what they needed, and even now the man was leading her to the store room so that she could determine just how much they needed to take. Quickly, Tres followed the two of them, reluctant to let the miko out of his sight. While he didn't expect that anything would happen, it was best to be on guard against the unexpected.

"What do you think, Tres, will three bags be enough?" Kagome called back to the redhead who was staring at them intently. While the bags weren't huge, in her opinion three should be more than enough to take care of the ammo problem for a while. If not, they could always return to get more, but hopefully they wouldn't get to that point for a while.

"Positive. That will be more than enough to suit our purposes," he replied calmly and ignored the look that the shop keeper gave him. The man didn't trust _him_, that much was clear, but at this point it really didn't matter. That the man was willing to work with Kagome was the only thing he was concerned with, and that was no longer in question. While he stood watch, his lover paid for the gun powder and just when he thought they were ready to go, she inquired about a few more things. One slender brow raised as she rattled off a list of what had to be herbs that he'd never heard of before. Later, once they were away from the village he'd have to ask her what they were for.

Kagome's hope that she might find the last of what she needed was quickly dashed when the shop keeper shook his head. "Do you know of any place nearby where I might find them?" she asked in a last ditch effort to get the things she needed.

"I'm sorry, but our miko is on a journey to help a neighboring village and she would be the one that you'd need to speak to. Are you ill?" the shop keeper asked with concern. The miko didn't look to be sick, maybe she just needed to replenish her own supplies and hadn't been able to acquire them on her journeys.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that. I just like to have them on hand in case they're needed," Kagome replied uneasily. She really didn't want to get into a discussion of why she needed them, especially with a male from this time period. Birth control wasn't especially condoned with most of the population and she'd be looked down upon even moreso seeing as she'd said that Tres was her husband. To insinuate that she did not want his children would be seen as a blemish on the redhead's honor. Of course, Tres wouldn't be likely to say anything about it, but the rumors would spread and she didn't want to have to deal with any possible repercussions from them.

"I wish you well on your search then. Perhaps you can return in a month's time, our priestess should have returned by then and maybe she can help you with what you're looking for," the man replied helpfully. He wouldn't mind if this particular woman returned to their village to replenish her supplies. Besides being good for business, it would raise the prestige of the village to be known as the famous miko's stopping place.

"Thank you," Kagome said softly and bowed a second time before turning to leave the shop. With Tres in tow, she quickly made her way to the outskirts of the village where she knew that Inuyasha would be impatiently waiting on them.

As far as Tres was concerned, the sooner they were out of the village, the better. While he was used to the stares that they had received thus far, he felt naked without his own weapons and it was beginning to wear on his nerves. The sooner they returned to the swordsmith's cave, the sooner he'd feel normal again. So he hurried his steps, forcing Kagome to quicken her own pace until the familiar sight of the hanyou came into view. As expected, Kirara was seated next to him in her larger form and ready to get underway as soon as they climbed aboard.

"It's about damned time you guys returned," Inuyasha groused once they were within hearing distance, "You got the stuff, right?" The question was really immaterial considering that the scent of gunpowder was tickling his nose already, but he wanted to make sure they'd gotten enough. _'So help me, if he runs out of bullets again I'm going to dump his ass off the nearest cliff and Abel can take over watching Kagome.'_

"You do see these bags I'm carrying right?" Kagome asked, pointedly arching a slender eyebrow at their silver haired companion with slight irritation. When the hanyou nodded tentatively she snorted, "Then don't ask me any more silly questions."

"It's not silly," Inuyasha retorted, "I have to make sure you didn't screw up and get the wrong stuff!" Not that that was likely, though. If nothing else, Kagome knew how important this was and if she didn't, Tres most certainly did. "And you can lose the attitude anytime, Kagome, it wasn't because of anything I did that this trip was even necessary."

"Oh give me a break, that's something _you'd _do, not me," Kagome replied dryly and walked up to Kirara, who had stood up as she'd gotten closer, "and don't start. This whole problem isn't anyone's fault, so stuff it." Without the confusion of the night before, she mounted the fire cat's back and arranged the bags between her legs as best as she could. Moments later, Tres had climbed up behind her and to her delight, wrapped his arms around her waist. The feel of his hard body next to hers sent some indecent images of the previous night in her mind and she couldn't resist a small wiggle on the pretense of getting settled against him.

Taking one look at the pair, Inuyasha wrinkled his nose in disgust. The way Kagome was leaning against the redhead's chest was borderline sickeningly sweet. "Whatever. Let's just go, alright?" he said at last and turned away from them. With luck they wouldn't do anything stupid like attempt to make out with each other on the way back. If they did, he wouldn't be surprised if Kirara dumped their asses in the coldest lake they came across. He really wouldn't blame the fire cat if she did, it's what he would end up doing if he was the one stuck in that particular position.

But the trip passed with no incidents, of attacks or inappropriate gropings, much to Inuyasha's relief. However, he was tempted to tell Kirara to dump them in the nearest lake anyway, because his nose was more than sensitive to the smells that blanketed the both of them. _'All the years I've known Kagome, and she bitches about if she misses bathing even one day. One night with him and she gets the sense fucked out of her, leaving us all to suffer! I'll be damned if I can tell her she stinks though, I'd be eating half the dirt in Japan for sure.'_

Shaking his head, Inuyasha moved a bit farther away from them. Of course, it was probably the fact of who it was that bothered him more than any smell, but that was beside the point._ 'Maybe Nightroad will pick up on it and deal with the problem. At least then I won't get caught in the shit storm when she blows up.' _As the thought crossed the hanyou's mind, he was beginning to like the idea better and better. The Crusnik seemed to be far more adept at dealing with the miko when something ticked her off. Relying on Tres to calm her down probably wouldn't work, because Inuyasha had seen just what methods he used to accomplish that. So help him, if the redhead decided to push her against the tree and repeat the previous night's actions in front of him... _'Kagome won't have to deal with keeping the peace between the two of them anymore cause I'd have to shove the Tetsusaiga straight up his ass.'_

"What are you chuckling about over there?" Kagome asked the hanyou suspiciously. For the past couple of moments he almost looked like he was plotting something and when a distinctive snicker reached her ears, she had to ask. Something told her that there were things that were sometimes best kept secret and as she took in his expression, she wondered if this might be one of them.

"Keh, nothing that's any of your business," Inuyasha said, trying to keep the amusement from his voice. It would figure that she picked up on the exact moment that he thought about causing lover boy over there bodily harm. To keep her from asking any further questions he hurried on ahead of them. Kirara could easily keep pace, but with luck she'd actually hang back slightly. Of course he realized how futile of a hope that would be since they could see Totousai's cave from their current position._ 'Keh, who am I kidding? She's probably just as anxious to get back as I am.'_

That was exceedingly close to the truth, and even though they'd been traveling for a couple of hours Kirara was more than ready to end the journey. Quickly, she picked up speed and surpassed Inuyasha, leaving him to stare after her in surprise before hurrying to catch up.

"Hey, wait up!" Inuyasha called and sprinted after them, leaping from outcropping to outcropping. To his irritation the fire cat wasn't inclined to listen to him and continued to eat up the remaining distance with a grueling pace.

Up ahead, both Shippo and Miroku were keeping watch and the moment that they sighted their friends in the sky, they stood up. Miroku stepped into the entrance of the cave, taking only a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness, "The others have returned."

Sango immediately got to her feet and started towards the entrance, but she was beaten there by one anxious priest. She rolled her eyes at the way he tripped over a loose rock and nearly fell in his haste, but she refrained from commenting. _'You'd think they'd been gone for a month with the way he was moping last night and now he's going to kill himself getting out there if he isn't careful. Oh yes, that would be interesting trying to explain. One Crusnik with a broken neck, done in by a rock because he was being too stupid to watch where he put his feet.' _ Fortunately the priest managed to recover before he was the one left eating dirt, even if Shippo had to scramble out of the way to avoid being trampled on.

"You really should watch where you're going, Father Nightroad," Shippo admonished with a wag of his finger before he turned to greet the miko. He'd become rather accustomed to sleeping next to her or Kirara at night and since they'd both been gone, he'd had to settle for the Crusnik, which in his opinion, was a rather poor trade. It made him doubly glad to see her again since maybe tonight he'd be able to get a decent night's sleep.

"Kagome! Did you get the stuff?" he asked, bounding up to the woman who was just now getting off of Kirara's back. His nose twitched at the unusual scent that covered her, but he didn't make a comment. He wasn't so young not to know what _that_ meant. _'No wonder Father Nightroad couldn't sleep last night.'_

"We sure did! They had enough for three bags, and if it's not enough we can always go back to get more," Kagome said and held the bags out for Sango to take, "Did you guys make any progress on the loading press?"

"Actually, we have. Your friend's diagrams were surprisingly accurate and it should be finished today," Totousai said as he walked somewhat stiffly out of the cave to join the conversation.

Kagome's brows shot up in surprise, "Wow, they must have been to have it almost done already. It's a good thing they had pre-made gun powder then, or we'd be waiting on that instead of the press."

"Well," Totousai began, scratching his chin, "It's not exactly a difficult concept, once I saw what he was talking about and it isn't like it has to be finely crafted like a sword. This is just the bare essentials to get you on your way. I'm sure with some time I could perfect the device, but I'd wager you're not wanting to stick around that long." In all truthfulness he'd probably refine the design anyway once they'd left, just to amuse himself if nothing else. The advancement in weapons that they'd shown him were intriguing, even if he did still believe that a sword was the best weapon a person could wield. It just had to be the right one to be effective.

"You're damned right we don't. We've wasted enough time as it is, even if it couldn't be helped. If you've got it that close to being finished, it means we'll be able to leave tomorrow," Inuyasha replied with his arms crossed. He was just as anxious to get out of there as Totousai probably was to get them out of his hair. Besides, they needed to catch up to Kouga before the fool did something stupid and got himself killed.

"Oh sure, if you expect one of us to work through the night and get absolutely no sleep," Kagome said, rolling her eyes at Inuyasha's eagerness. Somehow it didn't surprise her that he was already planning their departure without stopping to think things through. "Did it ever occur to you that the bullets won't make themselves? I sure as hell don't see any electricity around here either, so someone's going to have to do it by hand and that takes time."

"Alright, fine. How long is this going to take?" Inuyasha asked with a sigh that was as much frustration as it was irritation. As he figured it, not one damned thing was going to go right for him today.

"I'd still say you're looking at at least another day, Inuyasha. Not only do we have to load them, but I've got to make the casings as well. I was able to use one of the bullets as a mold, but it's still going to take time to make sure they're correct enough to use," Totousai said, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth. One day was at a bare minimum in his opinion. If things went wrong, it could easily take three or four days to perfect the method, however, he wasn't about to tell the hanyou that.

"Then what are we standing around here talking for?" Inuyasha snapped, not even attempting to hide his irritation over the situation. He'd completely forgotten about that aspect, but that wasn't surprising._ 'This is just another example of why swords are better. We wouldn't be dealing with half this shit if Tres could just use one of them instead.'_

"Give it a rest, Inuyasha. We'd probably be inside already if you weren't standing here asking all these questions," Sango pointed out helpfully and turned to go back inside. It was pointless to stand there bickering over imaginary deadlines. This wasn't something that could be rushed, no matter how much she or anyone else might wish otherwise. _'He'll never change, sometimes I'm amazed he's managed to live as long as he has.'_

"And I thought Kagome was the only one that needed to get laid," Inuyasha muttered beneath his breath. However the comment didn't go completely unnoticed since Father Nightroad had been lurking nearby, silently taking in the situation. Even from here Inuyasha could smell the uncertainty radiating off of the man. While the others went inside, Inuyasha turned to look at him, "Well? Are you going to go and talk to her or not?"

"I wouldn't know what to say," Father Nightroad replied quietly, watching the girl disappearing into the cave. It saddened him somewhat that she'd kept her distance from him, but could he blame her? He'd known she was going to get considerably closer to Tres, but that didn't stop the sting of jealousy he felt. Even though he thought he'd come to terms with what he had known would happen, the reality of it had been revealing. _'Is this how Tres felt all this time?'_ He wished he had the answer to that particular question, but there was no way of knowing unless he asked and somehow that just didn't seem the right thing to do.

"Hello would be a good start," Inuyasha said with a snort, "You're being stupid, priest. Tres had to deal with the same shit you're going through now when you decided to consummate this relationship, but he sure as hell didn't avoid her like the plague. So what are you going to do? Go back to trying to hide from her just because they've fucked? I hate to tell you, that shit might have worked at the village, but it's not going to work here." Not if he had any say in it. If things got that bad, he'd personally kick the Crusnik's ass until he got over himself.

"Don't presume to judge me, Inuyasha," Father Nightroad replied without heat, "you cannot possibly understand how I'm feeling about this. Nor can you understand the strength of the feelings coming from Tres through the bond." Although Tres had said nothing to him before venturing into the cave, he'd seen the brief look he'd been given as well as felt the quick flare of possessiveness. In a way it could be equated to a dog protecting a new toy, there was no way in hell it would give it up without a fight and that was exactly what he was feeling from his partner at the moment.

"Wait... You're telling me I can't understand what? Possessiveness? That's a crock of shit if ever I heard it," Inuyasha said with a snort, "Kagome never told you about the time I showed up at her school during a festival, did she?"

Father Nightroad shook his head and looked at the hanyou, his face showing none of the emotions that he was currently feeling, "What does that have to do with the current situation?"

"It's illustrating a point, pay attention and learn something," Inuyasha replied curtly, even though a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth with the memory. "They were having a play and I happened to walk into the room while this one idiot was on stage with her."

"Do I dare ask where this is going?" Abel asked, even though his curiosity was piqued. At this point nothing would surprise him where Inuyasha was concerned. "Let me guess. This poor stranger was just acting out his part and you happened to walk in while they were kissing."

"Keh, not quite. The guy wasn't a stranger, not by a long shot. See, there's things you need to understand. You're not from Japan and know next to nothing about the culture, right?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"I learned the language and enough of the culture to get by if necessary, however, that was many centuries ago and in my own time, Japan no longer exists as you know it," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders and then waited to see just where the hanyou was going with this.

"Come on, let's take a walk," Inuyasha suggested and turned to walk towards a nearby rock formation where they could sit and talk. The others really wouldn't question their disappearance so long as they didn't take hours to get back. Once they were seated comfortably, he began his explanation, "The society Kagome grew up in, in some ways is still similar to this time period. The guy that Kagome was in the play with, was attempting to court her through the first year or so that she was here in the past with us and her friends weren't helping."

"And Kagome is abysmal at turning people down," Father Nightroad replied immediately. He'd seen that much in their interactions with Kouga, and this was after she'd bonded to him and Tres. He could only imagine how she was prior to that, when she could still be considered little more than a child.

"Yeah, she sucked at it. Her friends weren't helping the situation either. In her time, status holds just as much importance as it does here. By choosing a high status male for Kagome, it shows just how highly regarded she is herself. Someone like me would never be good enough for her, not in their eyes, so they continued to push them together and I'd have to watch because she wouldn't let me interfere," Inuyasha replied with a trace of bitterness lacing his voice. Old wounds still ached when he thought about how he was considered an abomination by so many for so long, even if Kagome had accepted him.

"She was afraid of what you'd do to him," Abel supplied with a sigh. It sounded like something that she would attempt to do. It was clear she disliked conflict, especially when it involved her friends.

"That's putting it mildly. So I showed up at this festival because Kagome inadvertently brought some dried demons through the well and I walked into the room to see this moron on the stage, proclaiming his devotion to her," Inuyasha said mildly. Looking back on the situation now, he could see the amusement of the situation, even if he had been willing to gut Hojo at the time.

"Oh dear heaven," Abel said, almost dreading what was coming next. In his mind's eye he could just see the massive amounts of blood that had to be spilled. Now Inuyasha's reaction to his statement was making sense. He'd been put in a position where his love interest was threatened, even if the circumstances weren't quite as complicated. As much as he dreaded the answer, he had to ask the question burning in his mind, "You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No, I wanted to, though. I ended up blowing a hole in the roof and taking Kagome out of there. It's just my luck though that we take care of that particular idiot, and then we run into his ancestor in this time period," Inuyasha said with a snort. At the time he swore fate was conspiring against him, and he still believed that to be true at times.

"His ancestor?" Abel asked skeptically, "How can you be so certain?"

"Because he looked just like him and the bastard fell in love with her, too," Inuyasha replied with a roll of his eyes. "Kagome told me she talked to Hojo later and the idiot had brought his family history for her to look at. Akitoki Hojo, the same ancestor we'd run into here, had taken a bride and asked her to change her name to Kagome, because he couldn't get over the woman he fell in love with. How's that for being stupid? The Hojo in her time took that to mean that he was destined to be with Kagome, for some reason. I'm convinced that entire family isn't all there upstairs."

"That's more than a little extreme," the Crusnik said, silently agreeing with the hanyou's assessment. Something had to be desperately wrong with a man that asks his wife to change her name to that of a woman he couldn't get over.

"Yeah, well, Kagome seems to have a talent for attracting the weirdos. I'm not sure what it is, but they flock to her. It used to drive me nuts, but it's not my problem anymore. You and Tres need to figure your shit out while things are relatively calm. You thought it was bad when Kouga ran off with her? There's a lot of other demons that would risk their lives for that chance," Inuyasha tossed out and shifted to get more comfortable, "Hell, I bet even Naraku would take her if he thought he had half a chance of getting close to her without worrying about getting his dick purified."

"Naraku's not going to get a chance because he's going to be dead," Father Nightroad replied with venom. Even if the bastard hadn't attacked everything he held dear, he wasn't about to give Kagome up to the likes of him. It was difficult enough that he had to share her with Tres and he was still no closer to resolving his issues with that than he was at the start of the conversation.

"Well at least you're clear on one thing then. Now we just need to get this shit between you and Tres worked out, otherwise you're going to drive Kagome crazy trying to keep the peace between you," Inuyasha said with a snort, "you'll be lucky if you both don't end up with a rosary at the rate you're going."

"I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy," the priest muttered tiredly. It was one thing to know that they were sleeping together, but with the level of emotion his partner was willing to give her, could he even compete? A good portion of his heart still belonged to another who was far beyond his reach, wrapped in death's cold embrace. Was it fair to Kagome to insist that she split her heart between the two of them, when he couldn't offer her all of his own?

Shaking his head, Inuyasha stood up. "When it comes to Kagome, nothing ever is. But if you don't do anything you're not only hurting yourself, but her as well."

Sighing heavily, Father Nightroad watched him leave, yet he made no move to do so himself. For now he was content to remain where he was, alone with his thoughts. Things would have to be resolved sooner or later, but for the moment he didn't know how to even begin. Hopefully an answer would become clear soon.

Inuyasha somehow wasn't surprised that the Crusnik didn't bother to follow him. The man obviously needed time to think alone, and that was something that he wasn't going to get back at the cave. Unfortunately, he doubted the priest would be left alone for long though. Sooner or later Kagome was going to want to know just why he was giving her the brush off, and the man wasn't going to get any rest until she was satisfied with the answer. _'Keh, maybe that's what the dumbass needs.'_

It was just a question of how long she was going to wait to go after him, and whether or not Tres was going to attempt to stop her._ 'With luck, Miroku's figured out what's going on and he can run interference. The last thing Nightroad needs is his partner breathing down his back, they'll never get anything worked out if that happens.'_

As predicted, the moment that he stepped within the cave, the miko was looking at him expectantly. Before she could ask where the Crusnik was, he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Nightroad is out there sulking if you want to talk to him. If not, I'm sure he'll come in at some point. It'd be a cold day in hell before that man missed dinner voluntarily."

"Sulking?" Kagome asked, her brows furrowing in worry. She'd noticed that Abel hadn't bothered to say two words to her when they'd gotten back. At the time she thought that maybe he just wasn't sure what to say, so she'd left him alone to figure it out. But now Inuyasha made it sound like there was something wrong. "You didn't say something to upset him, did you?"

"I didn't have to say anything to upset him. He was well on his way when he realized the two of you were back," Inuyasha replied with a snort and moved closer to the fireplace. He pointedly ignored the way that Sango and Miroku were looking at him curiously, as if waiting for an elaboration. It wasn't his place to say and if they were too stupid to figure out the man was jealous, it wasn't his problem. Instead he looked towards the pot warming over the fire and took a tentative sniff, "Are you making dinner already?"

"This?" Kagome asked in surprise, "Oh no. This is my tea. I didn't have a chance to have any this morning, so I thought now would be a good time to make it." She stared down into the clear liquid and wondered how much longer she should let it steep.

"You mean that stuff you normally make in the mornings?" Inuyasha asked dubiously and took another sniff, "It doesn't smell the same. I don't know what your fascination is with the stuff, but I doubt it's going to taste any good if I couldn't even tell what it was. You might as well dump it out and get started on dinner."

"It's weaker than normal," Kagome replied carefully, "I'm almost out of the ingredients and you know how much I like it. So I've been stretching them out until I can get a new supply." Stretching it out was putting it mildly. Normally the color was a dark amber and what she had in the pot now looked barely tinted with any color at all.

"Are those the supplies you inquired about at the village?" Tres asked from his position against the wall. He'd been wondering what she'd been trying to obtain since they'd left, but he hadn't found a way to bring it up without just coming out and asking. When the man at the village had inquired as to what she needed them for, the miko had been more than a little embarrassed by the question and it had piqued his curiosity.

Kagome nodded and hoped that they'd leave it at that. Inuyasha was probably right about the tea. It probably was worthless, but what else could she do but continue to take it? If it wasn't strong enough to work now, it was a little bit too late to be worrying about it since she'd already slept with Tres. There was absolutely nothing that she could do now, but wait and see what happened. _'And pray that it's still working.' _The thought weighed heavily on her mind while she poured herself a cup of the liquid and brought it to her lips.

Shippo watched the miko with interest, his tail twitching every so often. "So does it still taste good?" he asked once she'd taken her first sip. There were times he would have sworn she hated the stuff with how she grimaced at the taste, but it didn't stop her from drinking the stuff. _'Maybe it's a human thing. Some of the stuff they do is just plain weird.'_

"It's just fine," Kagome said, trying to give the kit a smile even as she lied to him. It really did taste like water now, with none of the former bitter taste that she'd grown used to. Shrugging her shoulders, she downed the rest of the cup and removed the pot from the fire so that she could rinse it out and begin dinner like the hanyou had suggested.

Immediately Sango stood up and took the pot from her hands, "Allow me to worry about dinner tonight, Kagome. Why don't you grab your stuff and go take a hot bath. Afterwards you can go and talk to Father Nightroad, I think he needs to get some things off his chest." As much as she wasn't inclined to help the priest, having him mope around was going to make things infinitely more difficult on them. But sending Kagome off to go talk to him in her current condition wasn't likely to help matters. Even though she could see that the miko had attempted to look somewhat presentable, the girl was still thoroughly mussed up from the earlier trip.

The question almost prompted Kagome to ask if Sango was implying that she stank, but she thought better of the idea. A bath sounded good and it got her out of making dinner for the group. Quickly she nodded her head, "Alright, I'll be back in a little while. Just let me get my stuff."

"Do you want me to go with you, Kagome?" Shippo asked eagerly from the rock that he was seated on. It wasn't often that he got to bathe with her anymore since the men tended to stay around her one way or another and if he was going to be honest he missed the time they used to spend together.

"No, she doesn't need the company, runt," Inuyasha said before she could answer the question. "Nightroad is out there and they need to talk. It's not like this is the first time he's watched her take a bath." The last thing they needed was the kitsune poking around while they were trying to have a serious conversation and Inuyasha was determined that one way or another the conversation was going to happen.

"But, Inuyasha," Shippo whined and turned bright green eyes onto the miko. His pleading expression said it all and he hoped that it would be enough for her to overrule the hanyou's decision.

"Inuyasha is right this time, Shippo. I'm sorry, but I do need to talk to him. Maybe next time you can come with me," she said, and slung the bag of bathroom supplies over her shoulder. However when she started to walk off, she had to pause when she noticed that Tres was following her as well. "I'm afraid that means you too, Tres," she said and gave him an apologetic smile, "Don't worry. We'll be fine out there, I promise."

The rebuff had Tres scowling at the woman and debating his chances of getting away with telling her to deal with it. He was not happy about the idea of allowing her to go off alone. But at the same time, he knew that she needed to speak with Abel and resolve things. However, that didn't mean he had to like it either. "Acknowledged, you will be careful while out there," he said at last and fixed her with a hard stare. At the first sign of trouble, he had every intention of going out there and dealing with it.

"Of course I will," Kagome said, trying not to sound too exasperated with the man. Before he could change his mind, she hurried outside and began making her way to the hot spring she knew was nearby. While she could have used the wooden tub that Totousai kept nearby, it meant having to lug water and she had no intentions of straining her back if she didn't have to. However, half way there she felt someone staring at her and when she turned to see who it was, she met Abel's gaze. Slowly she walked over to him, gaging his expression to see if he was in the mood to talk. "Would you like to come with me?"

His first reaction was to tell her no, but that meant she'd either be forced to go alone, or to return to the cave to ask Tres. Given those two options, he decided that accompanying her would be the best choice for them all. A not so small part of him was still willing to snatch at any chance he could get to have the miko all to himself, even if it was only for a short time and apparently this was going to be the only way he was going to get it.

"I'll accompany you, Kagome," he said quietly and stood from the rock he'd been seated on. Once he was standing, he questioned himself as to whether or not this was wise, but he quickly silenced those doubts as he took his first steps towards her.

"Good, I was wondering for a minute if you were going to tell me no," she replied with a slight grin. She could feel his hesitancy, but it wasn't making him revert to his previous avoidance behavior which was a step in the right direction. "I'm glad you're coming with me, we really haven't had any time to ourselves these last few days and I've missed spending time with you."

The statement startled him and for a moment, Abel was wondering if she was suggesting what he thought she was. He shook his head after thinking about it for a second, what she'd said was the truth. They really hadn't even had time to talk over the past few days and they had things to discuss. "It has been rather busy," he said at last and accompanied her on the way to the springs. "Hopefully things will calm down soon and that will no longer be an issue."

"That would be nice," Kagome agreed with him before casting him a sidelong glance, "just being able to relax and not worry about what the next day will bring would be a welcome change." Of course, that statement included everything with Naraku and the situation between the three of them, but she was sure that Abel had picked up on that.

"It'll all be over soon, I'm sure," Father Nightroad replied, but in his heart he wasn't sure if he believed it himself. The miko wanted reassurances that things would be fine between him and Tres, yet how could he give her that when he wasn't sure if it was true? Things were so uncertain right now and could go any number of ways. Hell, there was a good chance that one of them could die in the upcoming fight which could complicate things even further.

"Maybe you're right," Kagome murmured and dropped the pack at the water's edge. Without turning around, she began divesting herself of her clothes, not caring in the least that she was being watched. It wasn't like she had anything that he hadn't seen before and somehow she doubted that he'd object to getting the free show. Once she was settled comfortably in the water, she looked at him again, "So were you okay with the others last night?"

"Totousai is a good host," Father Nightroad said in answer, "I take it you and Tres got things worked out." He didn't necessarily want to go down this path, but he had to know just where she stood. Tres' feelings were obvious, but he wasn't so clear on where Kagome's lay.

"I think you know the answer to that," Kagome murmured quietly. There had been no hiding what had happened, nor would she have tried in the first place. The man sitting beside her deserved better than that, especially after everything he'd done to help her. She wouldn't deliberately hurt him but she wouldn't lie to him either.

When she saw him sigh, Kagome levered herself back up out of the water and touched his cheek gently, "You're wondering where this leaves you, aren't you?" Her eyes searched his as she tried to find a way to reach him, to let him know that she wasn't just going to toss him to the side. Yes, her relationship with him was slightly different than the one she had with Tres, but it was no less special.

"How can I not wonder? This changes things, even I know that much," Abel replied uneasily. Truly he didn't know what to say to her. Was she asking that he confess his insecurities? Those should be fairly obvious by now and he didn't want to have to voice them anyway.

"Of course it changes things, but I wouldn't look at it as necessarily a bad thing, Abel. The three of us knew from the start that this would be complicated and I made a promise that I wasn't going to choose one over the other. While our relationships might be a bit different, they're equal. I know that and Tres knows that, now I just need to get you to accept that as well," Kagome said earnestly. A breeze swept over them, causing her to shiver, but she bore the discomfort in favor of trying to make the Crusnik see the truth of her words.

"Tres might know it, Kagome, but do you really think he accepts it? Search the bond, Kagome, and tell me what you feel," he replied quietly and waited for her to do so. In many ways, the miko was blind to things that were going on right in front of her and this was one of them.

"He's upset," she stated with a shrug of the shoulders, "I could have told you that he would be. But don't think it's because he doesn't accept that you're part of the picture. He's upset that he wanted to come down here with me and I told him to stay behind."

"Are you really so blind, Kagome? Do you really think that's what has upset him?" the Crusnik pressed on, determined to make her see the truth of the matter. When she continued to stare at him with the air of someone who knew better, he chose another, more direct path and kissed her. The gasp of surprise she gave allowed him to take possession of her mouth and to his relief, she didn't push him away.

The move had taken her completely off guard and he could feel the surprise pulsating through the bond, as well as a spark of anger that flared higher, coming from a completely different source. Still, he wasn't about to pull away from her either because he needed this, and he had a point to prove. She'd see reason when Tres came storming down to break them up, but until then he was going to savor each stolen moment he was able to share with her.

But Kagome was equally determined. She knew exactly what he was trying to do and this was one battle she wasn't going to lose. Her belief in Tres was strong and she was certain that no matter how jealous he would become, he wouldn't come down to interfere. It just wouldn't happen, because he knew how important Abel was to her as well. Quickly her hands went to his jacket and she shoved it off of his shoulders. There was one way she knew that would reassure the Crusnik, where words had failed. To hold back would give those doubts a chance to resurface and she couldn't allow that.

The moment her hands began to undress him, warning bells went off in Abel's head, but there was no way that he could deny that he wanted this. Oh Gods did he want this, he wanted her, all of her, even if he knew that he could never completely possess her. There would be hell to pay later, that much he knew, but for one last moment with her, it would be worth it. After this he'd have to step back and allow things to happen as they were supposed to, but for the moment he could push those thoughts aside. She was here, in his arms, and she wanted him, just as he wanted her.

_Back In The Cave_

Inuyasha stood over Tres with a scowl on his face. This was one time he really wanted to curse them all to hell and back, because he knew exactly what was going on. _'What the hell are they thinking?! I said to talk, not fuck! Now we're sitting here trying to keep Tres under control while they conveniently forget what the hell they're supposed to be doing!' _When the redhead struggled again, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, "You're not going anywhere, so you might as well sit there and behave unless you want Miroku to put another damned ward on you."

"Release me now. Your preferences in this matter do not concern me," Tres said, his voice cold and precise. The combination of what was happening between Abel and Kagome was irritating enough, but to be confined in such a fashion was beyond infuriating.

"And let you go storming down there like an ass? I don't think so," Inuyasha replied with a snort, "I think you might actually need more help pulling your head out of your ass than Abel does. At least he's willing to consider the idea of keeping things equal between the three of you. You on the other hand, you get your dick wet and now all of a sudden you're the only one who matters."

"Inuyasha!" Sango gasped, scandalized that the hanyou would be so blunt, even if it _was_ what they'd all been thinking. "Watch your mouth, Shippo does not need to hear that kind of talk."

"It's no worse than what he's heard before and if it bothers him so much, he can go outside. This needs to be settled now before someone gets killed," Inuyasha stated flatly and crossed his arms before looking back down at the priest, "Is that what you want? Because that's whats going to happen if you can't calm the fuck down. The two of you are going to be so busy going at each other's throats that neither one of you will be looking out for Kagome. And if it comes down to a choice between her, or you two, I'll take the both of you out myself. I watched over her before you two morons got her, I can damned sure take care of her after you're both gone."

"That option is unacceptable and it's no longer your place to interfere," Tres replied just as coldly and tested his bonds a second time. The fact that a tiny slip of paper could subdue him was irritating and he longed to be able to rip it off, but he couldn't even move his hands to do so.

"Like hell it's not my place," Inuyasha snarled angrily, causing even Shippo to back up a pace. "Kagome's welfare will always be a concern of mine and if you can't do your job, then someone else is going to have to. I'm not going to let her get hurt just because you can't get a rein on how you feel. What is it that Kagome says? Oh yeah, you need to chill the hell out. If you want to talk to her, fine. But it's going to wait until she gets back and if you can't keep a lid on it, Miroku can always shut you up."

Said monk's lips twitched in amusement at the look that crossed Tres' face then. Clearly the man hadn't thought about that being a possibility, but it was an option if it came right down too it. However, two explosive tempers in the same room weren't likely to solve anything and it was time for cooler heads to prevail. "If I may, Inuyasha," he began and held up a hand to forestall whatever was going to come out of the hanyou's mouth next. "Tres, you want Kagome to be happy, do you not?"

Without hesitation Tres nodded, although he wasn't sure where the monk was going with this. Yes, he wanted the miko to be happy, but with him. He couldn't help the way that he felt whenever she was out of his reach and he couldn't see any reason to deny himself that.

"How do you think Kagome would feel to know that you were so jealous that you could no longer continue your friendship with Father Nightroad? I assure you, Kagome keeps all of her friends close to her and to see any of them in pain, hurts her deeply," Miroku said quietly, trying to break through the stubborn walls that the redhead had put up. Until Tres could look beyond his own feelings, this was never going to work, so it was up to them to help him to hopefully see reason.

"Our friendship is not in question, his continued proximity to Kagome is," Tres replied stubbornly. They couldn't know, they couldn't understand. What they felt on a day to day basis was nothing compared to what he experienced because it was so new. What they thought should be easy to control, was in fact like a flood that was impossible to hold back. It was enough that he allowed the other man near her in the first place, but for the Crusnik to spirit her away from him he just couldn't handle.

"You know, it's not often that I agree with Inuyasha, but this time I do. You're being stupid. I might not like the situation Kagome's found herself in, but you're making it worse. You didn't seem to have a problem with it before. Kagome told me how you watched the entire thing, so what changed?" Sango asked with irritation coloring her voice. This wasn't something that she wanted to talk about, or even hear for that matter, but it had become obvious that until the issue was settled she was going to have to step in.

"You mean he watched them..." Miroku trailed off, his expression turning to one of contemplation. For once he wasn't thinking about how lucky the redhead had been to find himself in the situation, but instead he focused on ways to make this easier on them all. "Tell me, Tres. If you were to be out there with them right now, invited, would you be so angry?"

For a moment Tres didn't reply, but after a moment he sighed, "Unable to answer the question due to insufficient experience. We have not encountered that particular situation before, so I cannot gage what my reaction would be." While he'd watched them the one time and felt the first stirrings of jealousy, he somehow doubted it would have manifested if he'd been included. But whether that was because it would have been a learning experience or not, he could not begin to speculate and he refused to try.

"You really think that would make a difference?" Sango asked the monk skeptically. She couldn't imagine not being jealous if she was being forced to share Miroku with another woman.

"I'm sure it would, provided Kagome didn't focus more of her attention on one than the other. It's obvious she cares for the both of them and they for her. The fact that they were friends prior to this is helpful, the distrust only came later. I'm guessing it's not an issue of not being willing to share in this case, but an issue of not wanting to be left out. After all, how long was poor Tres here forced to watch and wait, while Father Nightroad had Kagome all to himself. He wants his time too, and his partner just ran off with her again," Miroku said, rather pleased with his explanation. It made perfect sense to him, even if the redhead appeared to be relatively unconvinced.

"So what do you suggest, Miroku?" Inuyasha asked with a raised brow. It sounded like he might be onto something, but he'd come to take everything the monk said with a grain of salt. Half the time the man was full of shit, and this could very well be one of those times.

"What I suggest is that there be no more sneaking off for alone time with one or the other. Kagome's going to need to keep the peace between them, so I'd say she's looking at equal time, if you know what I mean," Miroku suggested, wiggling his brows while he did so. It was the easiest way, to his way of thinking, to solve this childish bickering going on between them.

For a moment Sango just sat there uncomprehendingly until just what Miroku was suggesting dawned on her. "You have got to be kidding me! You mean both of them? At once? I've heard some crazy ideas come out of your mouth, Miroku, but have you lost your mind?" Sango said in disbelief, her expression one of complete shock.

"No, he might be onto something. I can't believe I just said that," Inuyasha muttered beneath his breath. It sounded like an absurd idea, but if Tres had been fine watching Abel with Kagome once, would being included keep him from having these little bouts of jealousy?_ 'I dunno if it'll work, but it's worth a try.' _However, someone was going to have to bring it up to the girl in the first place, but who? Scanning the room quickly, he dismissed all the males sitting there. Miroku was too much of a pervert, Shippo was too young, and Tres was the cause of the problem in the first place. "It's a good idea," he said at last, "Sango, when Kagome gets back it's up to you to explain the problem and what she's going to have to do to fix it."

"Me?" Sango stared at the hanyou like he'd grown a second head, "Why do I have to be the one to do this?" It wasn't that she minded helping Kagome, but things like this weren't supposed to be discussed in the first place. _'And now they want me to go to Kagome and tell her that she should be with both of them at the same time?!'_

"Because you're a girl and you're the only one she's likely to listen to," Inuyasha stated plainly, ignoring the indignant look that the exterminator was giving him. It was far from the ideal solution, but it was the best one they had at the moment, now it was up to Sango to sell Kagome on the idea.

"Fine," Sango replied with a glare and crossed her arms, "I'll talk with her when they get back, but you all owe me for this one." While she wasn't sure exactly what to say, it was probably going to be far more tactful than anything the boys could come up with. Now she only hoped that she could sound convincing to Kagome because she honestly wasn't even sure that she believed it to be right herself. _'This is going to be a hard sell.'_

"Good, now that that's out of the way, what's for dinner?" Totousai asked at last, finally joining in on the conversation. He and Myouga had taken in the argument with interest, but said nothing because it really didn't concern them. Of course, it was rather nice having someone else bear the brunt of the hanyou's anger for a change so he was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.

The question had Sango sighing while she turned her attention back to what she was supposed to be doing. Fortunately she'd managed to get the water boiling and part of the vegetables chopped for the stew, before the situation with Tres had interrupted her. The thought of the redhead had her glowering over at the man who still looked ready to kill. Under normal circumstance she might have felt a bit of sympathy for him, but right now her thoughts were far from charitable. After all, he was a direct reason why she was being dragged into this... mess, in the first place.

Snatching up another carrot, she started cutting it with vicious strokes of the knife. Someone shifted uneasily nearby, causing her to look up into Totousai's wide, staring eyes. When he looked about ready to ask again, her eyes narrowed dangerously in warning. _'If he can't figure out what we're having while I'm in the middle of making it, so help me I might have to chop him into bits!'_

"I'll just go back to work," Totousai muttered and shuffled away. Messing with women were dangerous in the first place, but messing with one that happened to be a demon exterminator was just tempting fate too much.

"A wise decision, if ever I heard one," Myouga replied from the swordsmith's shoulder. He'd seen that look plenty of times before and Sango's irritation was not something to be trifled with. Fortunately for him, he wasn't the one that would have to be the one to suffer that wrath. By the looks of it, that alone was reserved for the two men that had captured the miko's affections. It was a strange relationship to be sure, but one that had just as many benefits as it did drawbacks._ 'I wonder if maybe I could find another woman who would be willing to indulge in the same kind of relationship? Then all I would have to do is to convince the missus.'_

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Kagome and her missing companion returned to the cave, only to stop and stare with wide eyes at the sight that greeted them.

"Miroku," Kagome said calmly, "Why do you have Tres warded?" She'd wondered at the burning fury that she'd felt coming from the redhead and Abel had tried explaining that it was the jealousy and possessiveness he felt around her. He'd almost had her halfway convinced, but now that she saw the position the priest was in, she was certain he was pissed because he couldn't move, more than anything else.

"Don't be stupid, Kagome. If we hadn't tied him up, you would have gotten dragged away from the hot spring whether you liked it or not," Inuyasha said with a snort before continuing on, "I swear, you've got some of the worst timing of any person I've ever seen. Next time, think before you pull a stunt like that."

"Excuse me?" Kagome growled in irritation, causing Inuyasha's ears to flatten, "Are you telling me that I need your permission before I go off to talk to Father Nightroad?"

"Talk? No. But we know that ain't all that you two were doing, otherwise we wouldn't have had to do this to Tres," Inuyasha snapped in return, letting the woman know that none of them were stupid. If nothing else, the signs were obvious of what had happened. Father Nightroad's hair was just as wet as hers and he hadn't bothered tying it back yet either. The sight of them together like that was damning enough as it was without Tres' reaction to go on.

Hearing that statement, Kagome flushed scarlet with embarrassment. _'Oh my God, is everyone going to know what's going on whenever I go to spend some time alone with Tres or Abel?' _The very thought was mortifying and she wasn't sure how she was going to handle that one. "You didn't have to put it like that," Kagome moaned, trying to figure a way out of this one.

"Kagome, we need to talk," Sango said before Inuyasha could make a crude retort. Quickly she stood up and squared her shoulders for what she was about to do. Sparing a glance towards the Crusnik, she turned her attention completely towards the miko, "Let's go, I'm only going to say this once and we don't need an audience."

"I'm not so..." Kagome began, but was cut off when her friend gripped her by the arm and began leading her out of the cave.

"I am," Sango interrupted her firmly and continued walking until they were a good distance away from the cave. "Have a seat, we've got to get this problem worked out now."

"Don't you think everyone's overreacting just a bit, Sango?" Kagome asked curiously while she perched on the edge of a rock. Sure, Tres might have been a little upset, but they'd probably just made things worse by restraining him. Maybe it was time to talk this out, that way any grievances could be aired and put behind them.

"How do I put this delicately?" Sango started, her expression flat, "No. You're going to have to get those two to stop acting like idiots, or they're going to have to leave, Kagome. Inuyasha wasn't kidding, the ward was necessary because Tres can't handle the thought that you're with another man. I don't know what started this little jealousy streak in him, but it ends now. The situation puts everyone in danger, and I'm not risking my life by trusting them when they can't work their problems out." It was a blunt way of putting it, and perhaps a bit cruel, but it needed to be said.

"And you think choosing between them is going to make it any better? I can't just send one of them away, Sango," Kagome replied, her voice tight with the frustration that she felt. Sure things were a bit tense, but that was to be expected. Hell, the men in her time were just as unyielding when it came to sharing things and she had been surprised that they'd even been willing to accept what was happening in the first place. "If you have any suggestions I'm willing to listen to them."

"I didn't say you were going to have to choose between them, but you're being blind to the situation and I'm beginning to think it's deliberate. You don't want to acknowledge the problem and until you do, it's going to continue to get worse," Sango said and took a seat next to the miko. As much as she hated doing this, the woman needed a wake up call. "Let me see if I can make you understand what's going on. When you came back with them, things were fine between them because you didn't show a preference for one over the other, right?"

"I'm not playing favorites now, Sango," Kagome insisted. In fact she tried to split her time between them evenly, but much of it depended on who she thought needed her company the most at the time. _'I haven't been neglecting either of them, have I?'_

"You may not think you are, but it's happening," Sango replied gently. This was going to be difficult for the miko to accept, but she was going to have to if this was going to continue to work. If she didn't, then sooner or later the two priests were going to end up at each other's throats and she had the feeling it would be Tres instigating the confrontation. "When the three of you got here, you spent most of your time with both of them. Things changed, Kagome and after the cave in, Tres pretty much had you to himself."

"But then things happened between me and Abel," Kagome said quietly, realizing that after that she'd spent a great deal of time in the Crusnik's company. "But... Tres was there when it happened and he seemed fine with the situation!"

"And I'm sure he would have been, but you and Father Nightroad became almost inseparable there for a while. Even though you included Tres in often, you rarely went out of your way to spend time alone with him," Sango replied, showing the miko just where she'd gone wrong with the entire situation. "So when you and Tres finally went off alone, I'm guessing he realized how much he liked having you to himself. I imagine that he believed you would treat him like you did his partner afterwards, but almost as soon as you got back, you became... preoccupied, and it wasn't with him."

Kagome stared off towards the cave, her heart in turmoil. "And he didn't say anything because..."

"He probably thought you already knew," Sango finished for her. "You've said it yourself that he's not sure how to handle the strength of these emotions. With the way he thinks, is it any wonder that he'd think that? You've always been human, you've grown up learning how to react appropriately to situations. He assumes that you know how he feels without having to say a word." Add into it that men weren't the greatest at expressing how they felt in the first place and you had a recipe for disaster.

"He must be so angry with me," Kagome muttered, ashamed that she hadn't seen this sooner. _'How could I have been so blind to what he was feeling? Dammit, even with the bond in place I'm still screwing things up!'_

"I don't think he's angry with you, Kagome. Father Nightroad on the other hand, might be a different story. If we'd have let him go after the two of you, there probably would have been a fight between them. Now you just have to figure out how to fix the problem," Sango said quietly. The entire situation was tearing the group apart and something had to give soon. She could only hope that whatever action Kagome took would be enough to mend the rift that had formed between the two men.

"What can I do though? If I spend more time with Tres, Abel is going to start avoiding me again. But I can't neglect Tres either or this is just going to continue to get worse," Kagome said with a sigh. Of all the people she knew, her life had to be the most complicated.

"You want an honest answer? Go back to the way things were at first. You weren't favoring one over the other and things were fine," Sango said, musing over the problem. "It pains me to say it, but when you want to... be with either of them, you're not going to be able to pick one over the other."

"You mean?" Kagome raised a brow at the other woman. The blush staining Sango's cheeks answered the question for her. Talking about sex just wasn't an acceptable conversation in the first place, but it was clearly something that was going to have to be discussed in order to resolve this issue completely.

Drumming her fingers against the rock, Kagome considered the situation, "It might work, once they both have a chance to cool down. Tres was there watching... that first time. It didn't bother him then, so maybe if he's being included things will get back to normal." Of course she didn't want to consider whether or not she'd be able to handle it considering the sheer amount of effort it took to satisfy one of them. Trying to picture both at the same time was almost enough to make her take a vow of chastity. _'I'd better give up on the idea of ever walking again. They're going to kill me, I swear.' _

"It's worth a shot," Sango replied quietly. She really didn't want the details of what had happened with the two men, nor what plans Kagome might form for in the future. All she needed to know was that the miko was going to take care of the problem. "I'd suggest talking to them individually before we leave. This has to get settled before we start hunting Naraku again."

"I'll take care of it," Kagome said firmly, even though she wasn't exactly sure how she should broach the subject with them. After all, just walking up to either one and announcing that if they wanted to have sex with her again, the other had to be present wasn't the most tactful of ways to put it. Fortunately she had at least few hours to think before they left. She was going to need it.

_Two days Later_

When Kagome had stated that she would take care of the problem, she'd been hoping for a quick resolution, but she hadn't counted on the stubbornness of men. Or actually one male in particular, namely Tres. Although he hadn't outright refused her solution, it was clear that he wasn't exactly happy with it either. Tensions were running high, but at least it wasn't quite so overwhelming as what it had been when she'd returned from talking to Sango.

_'I suppose I should be grateful that they're even willing to speak to each other at this point.' _It was a step in the right direction, however small. Even more of an accomplishment was that it hadn't come down to physical violence between the two. Abel seemed as amendable as ever, if a bit reserved, but at least he wasn't avoiding her. That would have only compounded the problem since Kagome knew she would have had to specifically work on bringing him back around to her way of thinking.

Tres, on the other hand, had no reservations on showing everyone just where he believed his place to be and it was more than a little frustrating. Even now it was like he was glued to her hip and while it seemed that he wasn't paying her much attention, she was very aware of the fact that that was far from the case. _'He's going to drive me nuts if we can't figure something out soon.'_

On her other side, Father Nightroad walked quietly. There was little he could say that would make much of a difference and he understood the importance of keeping the peace, at least until the danger had passed. In his mind, there wasn't much chance of this resolving itself peacefully and to his way of thinking, one of them was going to have to bow out of the relationship before things got much worse.

_'But to do so now would set the entire group off balance and we cannot afford to give Naraku the advantage.'_ His heart felt heavy as he looked to the future. They'd win the battle, of this he had no doubts, but what would come after? Sadly he shook his head, lost in his innermost thoughts as he tried to resolve the problem. _'Do they really think that we can all settle down and act like there is nothing abnormal about the situation? Better yet, what happens when Kagome is forced to make a choice between us? It would cause her immeasurable pain to do so, but even she can't dictate the direction her heart takes.'_

In his heart he knew that the miko would choose his partner. The level of devotion that Tres showed to her made it clear that he would never leave her. There had only been one other woman that had held Gunslinger's heart in such a fashion and Abel knew that ultimately, Tres needed someone to belong to. It's what kept him focused and to take that away from him seemed almost criminal.

_'I guess that leaves me then.' _Even though Father Nightroad was no stranger to loss, that didn't make it any easier. But what other choice was there? He could make the decision for her and bring her some pain, or he could leave it to her and end up hurting her worse. In the end then, there really wasn't a choice. _'If my leaving will lessen the pain she'll feel later, then that will be my course of action.'_

That begged the question of where he would go, though. There was no way for him to return home, at least not to the time period that he'd come from. But there was no way he could remain here once the final battle was over. The temptation to return would be far too great and that would only cause greater heartache. _'I have no choice but to leave the country. Yet, dare I return to Rome?'_ The idea was tempting, in spite of the fact that none of his friends would be there.

The possibilities were endless, though. With his extensive knowledge of world history, he could pick and choose where would be the best place to go. He would need something to keep his mind occupied and off the woman walking next to him. Methods of travel in this age were extremely limited, but did it matter when he wasn't limited to a human's lifespan?_ 'For that matter, I could travel to the Americas. Columbus has already staked his claim and settlements have been formed.'_

But did he want to go to another wild and untamed land? One of the things he missed now was the culture that being within a large city provided. While it wasn't essential, it was a luxury that he would enjoy having around if he couldn't remain by Kagome's side.

Above all, though, he wanted to avoid getting drawn up into another war. His vow still stood and to be drawn into a battle that didn't concern him was something he wouldn't do. _'That may be difficult to accomplish, Europe was torn up by war throughout the Medieval period and even into this century. There may not be any escaping the possibility of battle, regardless of what path I take.'_

The prospect was daunting, but he had a bit of time to consider his options. In the meantime he would enjoy the remaining time he had with Kagome, even if he could not keep her to himself. His only consolation was that when he left, he'd always be aware of her through the bond and he could be assured of her continued happiness, even if it wasn't with him.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, her voice one of concern. Ever since they'd left Totousai's, he seemed abnormally quiet and withdrawn. Even if he hadn't been, she would have been worried with the emotions coursing through the bond. Resignation was prevalent, but a deep sadness threatened to overwhelm it at times.

The question jerked Father Nightroad out of his thoughts and he tried to smile at the woman in reassurance, but he could tell it wasn't working. It felt fake even to him and he just couldn't muster the enthusiasm to convince her that everything was fine. So he settled on a partial truth, one that she wouldn't question too closely. "I was just thinking of home."

"You miss everyone," Kagome said gently and laid a hand on his arm. She was quite familiar with the feeling as well and could sympathize with the man. It was difficult leaving everything you knew behind and know there was no chance of returning. The well would not be able to take him back to his family, just like she could never return to hers. Yes, she knew that particular pain well.

"Very much so," Father Nightroad agreed quietly and ignored the look that Tres cast over the top of the girl's head. While he was sure it wasn't hostile, Abel didn't want to see what lurked in those eyes. Curiosity, for certain, and he didn't want to give the man a reason to pry with Kagome so close. _'Surely he suspects though, and he will demand answers sooner or later. Yet I do not believe he would attempt to stop me from my chosen path.' _Yet the time came sooner than he could have ever expected and he watched in surprise as Tres redirected Kagome's attention for a moment.

"Kagome, please accompany Sango and Miroku while I speak to Father Nightroad," Tres asked calmly and ignored the wide eyed stare he received from the Crusnik.

"Whats... going on?" Kagome asked suspiciously. It wasn't often that either of them outright asked her to leave and she was beginning to wonder if the silent truce between them was about to blow to pieces.

"Nothing of importance, merely battle plans should we encounter Naraku," Tres lied and turned his attention to the group walking ahead of them.

The statement had Kagome staring at him in suspicion, "Then why do I have to leave?" This was something out of the ordinary and while they had never really discussed battle plans in great depth before, she didn't see why she couldn't stay to listen.

"Because there is a high probability that you will inadvertently move into the danger zone and we must discuss the measures we will take to ensure your safety. Please accompany Sango for the duration of the conversation, you will be safe there," Tres stated calmly and watched her with a detachment he didn't feel as he waited for her to do as she'd been told.

"This had better not turn into a fight," Kagome said and gave him a stern look before walking ahead of the two priests. It wasn't of any surprise when Sango looked at her in surprise, but the miko just shrugged her shoulders. "Don't ask me. The boys want to talk and apparently, girls aren't allowed."

Once Kagome was well outside of hearing distance, Tres fixed the Crusnik with a penetrating gaze, "Why did you lie to her?" While Kagome might not know the signs of deception that the other male gave off, he did and he wasn't going to let this go unless he knew what was up and the reasons for it.

"Because to tell her the truth now would bring her pain and distract her from her goal," Father Nightroad replied quietly while watching the girl walk up ahead of them. "I know that things have been difficult between us, both here in the past and in our own time. But I know that I can trust you to keep her safe, so I'm going to cure the problem once and for all."

"You intend to leave then," Tres stated flatly, unsure of what to think. On one hand it would leave Kagome as his completely, but he knew that Father Nightroad was right, it would bring her immeasurable pain. "Why have you decided upon this course of action?"

It was a question that deserved an answer, that much Abel knew. A sigh escaped his lips as he contemplated how he would answer. "She deserves more," he replied after a few moments, "As it is now, she is constantly worrying, waiting for everything to fall apart. How long do you think it will take until she breaks?"

"You do not give her enough credit if that's what you choose to believe, but I can tell you she is stronger than that," Tres countered although he was careful to keep his voice low enough that the others could not hear him. There was a level of hostility in his own voice that the other man might not understand, but that wasn't his problem.

Father Nightroad fixed the redhead with a serious look, "For now, but what about later when things become more complicated? How will she feel when it's time to settle down and the pressure of trying to conform to this time weigh heavily upon her shoulders? There's no way to put this delicately, but it would be impossible to do so. She deals with the scorn from her friends every day even if they try to hide it. None of them are happy with what has happened, and they are more accepting than most. Don't try to convince me I'm wrong in this, Tres. I know I'm correct and if you really stop and think about it you'll realize it as well."

What might have been a valid point with a normal person, held no meaning to Tres and he shrugged his shoulders, "Kagome has never cared for the opinions of others and does not hesitate to stand up for what she believes. That is not the only reason you are contemplating this course of action, so explain to me the rest of it."

"No," Father Nightroad replied wearily, "It isn't. You sense how uneasy she is? It's like she's waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her again and it's centered around us." If the situation hadn't been so serious, it might have been comical watching the woman try and split her time exactly down the middle between them. But now all it brought was regret on his part, knowing that he was once again causing her difficulty. For the briefest of moments he wondered if Tres felt guilty before he shook his head. Guilt had never been in the man's vocabulary and most likely he still believed himself to be the one with a stronger claim to the girl. He wouldn't see a reason to feel guilty.

"And you do not believe that this will work?" Tres asked with genuine curiosity. Even though he had his own doubts, Kagome seemed to be so convinced and wouldn't hear of anything that suggested otherwise. She was pushing herself to accomplish that goal and while the outcome was still in the air, no one could question her determination.

"Could it work?" Abel queried quietly before shrugging his shoulder, "Perhaps, but is it worth the devastation that failure might bring in the end? There is no way to know for sure and a choice will have to be made soon. Do we risk it, or do we take the path that will guarantee her happiness in the long run?"

For someone accustomed to dealing in possibilities and percentages, Tres refused to answer right away. Something told him that if the Crusnik left, it wouldn't be something that Kagome would just get over. But was Father Nightroad correct in his way of thinking? They'd been through much together and an attachment had been formed, yet if this was allowed to continue, just how much deeper would the bond grow before they were separated?

"I believe that you should allow Kagome to be the one to make that decision," he said at last. While he wouldn't mind having her all to himself, if she found out that he knew and didn't tell her, Kagome would never forgive him.

"Telling her before hand would be cruel and I will not do that to her," Father Nightroad replied firmly, "It would lead her to worry more and stretch herself further an attempt to make us all happy. If this is to be done, it needs to be done cleanly. Promise me that you will stand by her once I am gone."

"I have my orders, as do you, Crusnik," Tres replied, reminding the man that even in the past, he has sworn his loyalty to Lady Caterina and vowed to follow her orders. She had told them both to remain with the miko and regardless of the circumstances, that was what he intended to do.

A frown creased Abel's face at the blatant reprimand, "I'm well aware of what my orders are. I have no intentions of leaving before the battle, however, afterwards my life is my own to lead. Swear to me that you will not breathe a word of this to Kagome, nor anyone else. I will tell her in my own time." However, that was not going to happen until the day that he left. He would make a clean break and live with the regret for the rest of his life.

Although he didn't like it, Tres nodded. It would seem that the Crusnik had indeed made up his mind and would not be dissuaded. It was only the fact that they were still searching for Naraku that made him agree to such a ludicrous notion in the first place. They just didn't need the distraction, if it became one it could prove to be fatal to them all. Then the lives of everyone here and those in the future would be a moot point.

"Are you two done yet?" Kagome called back over her shoulder to the two men lagging behind. They were nearing the mountains again and Inuyasha had just caught the faintest traces of Naraku's scent.

"Yes we are," Father Nightroad replied and hurried to catch up to the girl, leaving Tres to do as he wished. However when he noticed the tenseness of the others he paused, "What is wrong?"

"We're getting close to Naraku," Inuyasha stated stiffly, not bothering to look at the taller male. Instead his gaze was trained ahead on one of the closest mountains. What had begun as a faint stench was steady growing stronger and he was almost certain that Naraku was nearby.

"Searching for target," Tres said coldly and began scanning the nearby area with his guns ready. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he knew just how deceiving that Naraku could be. The only thing that was fortunate was that there was very little foliage in the area. The acidic properties of the ground kept most plants from growing, leaving little cover for the hanyou or his minions to hide in.

"He's underground again, isn't he?" Kagome whispered, looking towards the mountain range ahead of them. A feeling of dread settled over her and if she could, she would have convinced the others to turn right around and leave. They'd gotten lucky the last time they'd fought the enemy and there had been no casualties. What were the chances of it happening again?

"Probably," Inuyasha replied uneasily. Each time they went underground, someone nearly died and it was likely that this time would be no different._ 'The bastard's had months to familiarize himself with the tunnels in there. We're walking into a trap, I just know it.'_

"Is there any way of drawing him out?" Father Nightroad asked, trying to come up with an alternate method of fighting the enemy. Going directly into Naraku's lair would give the demon the clear advantage and that was something that had to be avoided at all costs.

"Not likely. The bastard knows we're here and there's no way he'll come out on his own. The fact that I can smell him is because he's leaving a fucking engraved invitation for us to come in," Inuyasha said with a growl. It would have been simple for Naraku to have erected a barrier like he had in the past and then they would have never known that he was nearby so this was something new and it immediately set everyones nerves on edge.

"We'll just have to accept his invitation then," Miroku said quietly and checked his supply of sutras, making sure they were easily accessible. There was no telling what they'd run into while they were hunting for the dark hanyou. If there weren't any obstacles, he'd be greatly surprised.

"Let's go then," Inuyasha said and began to lead the way. To his relief, everyone stuck together in a close knit group with Kagome and Shippo in the center. With the weaker members protected, they had just a bit less to worry about and every little bit helped. "His scent is getting stronger. I'd lay money it's coming from that cave over there," he indicated with his hand towards an ill concealed entrance that none of the others had noticed yet.

Each of them looked towards the entrance that Inuyasha was pointing to only a few yards away. It was conveniently placed, and relatively well hidden by several large rock formations. Had the sun been positioned a bit lower in the sky, the shadows would have completely obscured the tunnel and they would have never seen it.

"Should we make a torch?" Shippo asked uneasily from his perch on Kagome's shoulder. He didn't like the idea of heading into the mountain any more than any of the others, and he danged sure didn't want to do it in the dark.

"There's no need for that," Inuyasha said, wrinkling his nose as he did so, "Don't you smell the oil burning? He's extending the welcome mat." Just as he thought, as soon as they squeezed past the rocks concealing the entrance, a spacious tunnel stretched out before them and along the walls were carefully placed torches to light the way.

"Stay close everyone and be ready for anything," Sango warned before venturing farther in. It wasn't surprising to see that there was more than one pathway within the mountain and if someone wasn't careful, they could easily get lost.

"It stinks in here," Shippo complained and put his hand up over his nose in an attempt to block out the smell. The smell was overwhelming when mixed in with Naraku's vile scent and it was enough to make his stomach turn.

"You want to go wait outside?" Inuyasha snapped at the kitsune. His nose was just as sensitive as the kit's and if he had to endure it, too, he didn't want to hear any whining. In fact, it'd probably be better if Shippo did wait outside, but he knew just how likely that was to happen.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Inuyasha," Shippo replied immediately, daring the hanyou to make an attempt to send him away. His stake in this was no less personal, even if he hadn't lost someone to Naraku directly. Inuyasha had already avenged his parents, so that was no longer in question. No, his desire for vengeance came for Kagome and what Naraku would do to her in the future if he weren't stopped now.

"Keh, didn't think so runt," Inuyasha snorted and began walking again. The tunnels were narrow, forcing them to abandon the tight group they'd been in earlier and form two lines. Sango paced along beside him While Abel and Kagome were directly behind them. Bringing up the rear were Tres and Miroku. The only random factors now were Shippo, who moved from shoulder to shoulder as the need suited him and Kirara who trailed along at the very rear of the group. It was far from perfect, but it was the best they were going to get until the tunnel widened.

"Which way do we go now?" Shippo asked when they came to a place where the path split. Tentatively he sniffed the air, trying to get a direction, but the smell was everywhere, rendering the idea useless.

Quickly Inuyasha weighed their options and came to a decision. Both tunnels were lined with torches, giving no indication of which path to take. So in the end he settled on the one that gave them the most room to move. "We'll go to the right."

Before he could take more than two steps in that direction though, the pathway disappeared, leaving a stone wall in it's place. "What the hell!"

Sango stared curiously at the stone and laid a hand on it. "A mirage, maybe?" The idea wasn't exactly impossible since they'd seen Naraku do similar things before and she could just imagine Naraku watching them from somewhere and laughing his ass off at their reactions.

"Perhaps," Miroku replied skeptically, "However I do not see any symbols that would indicate one had been put in place." For Naraku to have progressed past the point of needing some sort of sutra or spell didn't bode well for them. But what other option was there?

"Well, it's not like he could move the wall, could he?" Kagome asked uncertainly. She didn't like the idea of Naraku herding them, but there wasn't any other name for what it was that he was doing. 'I feel like the proverbial sheep being led to a slaughter.'

"Who knows. We need to keep moving, standing here just makes us sitting ducks," Inuyasha stated and began walking down the only path left to them. To his dismay, it only got narrower until they were forced to walk single file. The slight decline of the ground was enough to tell him that they were traveling on a downward slope as well. _'Straight into the belly of the beast. I hope this isn't a repeat of last time.' _

Another thought began making itself at home in Inuyasha's mind and that was the fact that he hadn't come across one sign of Kouga yet._ 'Damn, what happened? Did the idiot get lost or something?'_ Something told him that wasn't the case, not when the wolf demon had told him exactly where he intended on looking. Was the smell of Naraku that overpowering that he couldn't even catch a hint of his long time rival? It hardly seemed likely, but he didn't have any other theories to go on. He just hoped that Kouga hadn't managed to get himself killed off, he was needed in the future.

A small sigh of relief escaped him when he saw the path extended into a fairly large room up ahead. Maybe now things would be a little easier to move around in. Fighting in close quarters just wasn't his cup of tea and he began to wonder if he had become claustrophobic and hadn't been aware of it.

Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they proceeded and the dark, musty smell only increased with each step they took. To their surprise there were four pathways that split off of the main room and they all paused to survey their surroundings.

"What do you want to bet that we'll pick one and it'll close off again," Kagome muttered unhappily. Carefully she looked around the room and took a step closer to the others when she saw the slime covering a nearby wall. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought of what it felt like. It literally looked like someone had sneezed and a big snot ball had exploded from their nose to coat the wall. _'Gross, that mental image is going to haunt me for days to come.'_

"Most likely, we should keep going. If last time was any indication, Naraku will keep us from taking a path he doesn't want to," Miroku stated and began walking towards on of the entrances. When he passed through the opening he paused in surprise, "What are the chances that I'd pick right on the first guess?"

Kagome's brow furrowed uncertainly, "That is rather odd. Maybe these tunnels all join up at the same place further down so any one of them are correct?" To test her theory she began walking towards one of the other tunnels and was able to pass through.

Something didn't seem right to Father Nightroad and he shook his head, "Somethings wrong. Everyone come back to the center of the room!" While he couldn't say what it was, his gut instinct was rarely wrong and he prayed that for once everyone would listen to him without question.

Before Kagome could get more than a step back towards the main room, the entrance vanished and effectively cut her off from the others. "Inuyasha!" she called out and placed her hands against the stone. "Abel? Tres? Can you hear me?" She fell silent and listening carefully, but no sound permeated the wall. Knowing that the others had to have noticed what had happened, Kagome moved back away from the new wall and anxiously waited. There was every chance that they'd try and destroy the wall to get to her and she didn't want to get caught beneath several tons of rock if they succeeded.

On the other side, three men were frantically searching for a way through the stone. It had happened so fast, there was no chance of grabbing Kagome before the barrier had appeared. More than once they'd called to her, trying to reassure her that they would get her out, but they never got a response.

"Fuck this. Move out of the way," Inuyasha snarled and unsheathed the Tetsusaiga. With Naraku so close, there was no way in hell that they were just going to leave her there if he could help it.

"Inuyasha no! If you use the wind scar, you might collapse the tunnel she's in," Sango said quickly, trying to stop the hanyou from doing something that might potentially kill their friend.

As much as he hated to admit it, Sango was right. Without knowing what condition the tunnel was in, they just couldn't take the chance. "Dammit," he swore and resheathed his sword, "What the hell should we do then?"

None of them had an answer, but it was clear that both Tres and Abel were about to take off to go and search for her. It was a risk, but standing there doing nothing was also a risk and wouldn't get Kagome back either.

"We'll have to search. There's a chance that the tunnels will rejoin somewhere down the line and if not, you can always use the Tetsusaiga once we're far enough down the tunnel that Kagome isn't in danger," Miroku said quietly, "there's three other tunnels, two of which run parallel to the that Kagome is in."

"So we split up," Inuyasha stated firmly and began to walk towards the tunnel that Miroku had stepped through earlier. Shippo and Sango were hot on his heels, not that he really cared whether they followed him or not.

"You both take the other tunnel. I'll remain here with Kirara just in case the barrier falls," Miroku said quietly and watched as the two men disappeared within moments. It would be just like Naraku to separate the group and then take away the obstacle in their path. If that happened, Kagome would be alone yet again and there's no telling which path she'd take in her attempt to find them.

The path that Tres and Abel had taken was a bit darker than the main room had been, but neither of them were going to allow that to hinder them in the least. Carefully they scanned the walls as they proceeded deeper into the cavern. They didn't want to take the chance of missing even the slightest opening that they might be able to squeeze through.

"We'll find her, Tres, don't worry," Abel said quietly, trying to reassure himself as much as his partner. It felt like his heart was hammering in his chest and he could feel the desperation closing in around him. He wasn't sure who was more afraid right now, himself or the woman they were trying to find. Naraku had taken her life once, he didn't want to think that it might happen again while they were sworn to protect her.

"That is a forgone conclusion," Tres replied flatly. There was no chance in hell he was going to allow anyone to stand in his way of finding the girl. There had to be a reason for the separation, but instinct told him it wasn't to kill Kagome. Why would he, when he could use her to his advantage against everyone else. Killing her prematurely would only increase the force he was fighting against, for her death would only increase their rage and determination.

As much as Abel wanted to snap that nothing was certain, he didn't. Tres was obviously dealing with this new development in his own way and denying the possibility that they might fail was it. Every movement the redhead made was precise and calculated, which somehow bolstered his own confidence. _'Maybe Tres has realized something that we haven't.'_ Either way, he would put his faith in his partner. "Alright, Tres, I'll follow your lead."

_Deep within the mountain_

Naraku chuckled to himself. Everything was going according to plan and soon he'd have everything he ever wanted. What the fools didn't know was that while they were searching frantically, the miko was safe and sound in that tunnel, at least for now. The only exits were a few well placed air vents and it would remain that way until he freed her. Her fate after that, was entirely up to her. Should she provide him with the jewel, he might well decide to allow her to live.

However, if she denied him, death would find her, although it would not come quickly. There were many methods of torture he would use in making her pay for the trouble he'd been put through. It was all up to her as to whether or not she wanted to take the hardest path.

But before he could contemplate just how exquisite her screams would be, he had other annoyances to deal with first. The others would all reach him eventually, but not at the same time. He'd planned the trap well, and half the group would be delayed while he eliminated their comrades. Once they found him, they'd be greeted with the sight of their friend's mutilated bodies. Even now he could picture the look of horror on their faces and the despair when they realized he had controlled their movements from the very beginning.

"Sooner, very soon the world shall fall at my feet," he whispered to himself and allowed a cruel smile to grace his lips. The first of his quarry was approaching and would be there within minutes. Prince Kouga, lord of the wolf clan had indeed arrived before Inuyasha, but the foolish hanyou wouldn't have been able to detect the male's scent. He'd made sure of that much. For a full day he'd forced Kouga to traverse the tunnels, becoming hopelessly lost with no chance of escape. However, the time for the rat to wander the maze aimlessly was coming to an end. _'He truly is pathetic, but it is of no matter. It just makes the game more interesting.'_

There was a ripple of energy and a mist briefly descended around Naraku's body. When it lifted, it was no longer the image of the hanyou that stood there, but that of the miko that he had trapped in another area of the mountain. Would it be enough to fool the wolf? For a short while, yes, but most likely not for an extended period of time. However, it wouldn't take long to accomplish what he wanted and now that his plan had been set into motion, he would not fail.

Footsteps echoed softly off of the walls and Naraku turned in place, allowing his expression to turn to one of fear. Seeing as he resembled the miko that Kouga was so infatuated with, that look alone would be enough to distract the wolf from noticing the illusion until it was too late. "Oh, Kouga! Thank God it's you!"

"Kagome?" Kouga blinked in surprise and immediately walked up to the girl, "What are you doing here? Where's the others?" The look of fright on the miko's face had him scanning the area warily. To be away from the group meant something had to have happened and he couldn't let his guard down for even a moment. "Tell me what happened!"

"I'm... I'm not sure! We were walking along and I got separated from them. When I tried to go back the path disappeared," the hanyou said, allowing his fake voice to quiver just enough to cause Kouga to edge closer in a protective gesture._ 'Soon, very soon, you mangy wolf prince, you will realize your mistake. Too bad it's a fatal one for you.'_

The miko's words had Kouga scowling in annoyance, "The same damned thing has been happening to me. I'm surprised I was able to find you, although that might have been just a coincidence. Alright, let's go find the others. Stick close to me, we don't need to get separated."

As he said this, Kouga closed the remaining distance between them, but the moment that he put his hand on the girl's shoulder, he realized something was terribly wrong. There was no mistaking the youki radiating from her slight form, nor was there any trace of her scent in the room. At first he thought it might be because the stench permeating the cave was so overwhelming, but now he knew the terrible truth. Angrily his hand closed around the demon's throat, "What the fuck have you done with Kagome?"

"What do you mean? I am Kagome, Kouga," Naraku said and brought his hands up to the wolf demon's wrists. The man wouldn't kill him, not without making sure that the miko was safe first. More footsteps could be heard coming closer and immediately he began struggling in Kouga's grasp, playing the part of the damsel in distress. "Please, Kouga! Let go, you're hurting me!"

"Stop playing these fucking games with me," Kouga snarled and tightened his grip. There was no way he was letting the bastard go. Naraku would tell him what he had done with Kagome, and then he would die. "Answer my damned question before I tear your throat out!"

"Kouga, please..." the hanyou whimpered, falling even further into the role he was playing, "You don't want to do this, not with me!" He would have had to be spiritually dead to miss the surge of anger that filled the room and his insanity had him chuckling with malicious glee. The next two players of the game had arrived, and they were far from pleased with what they saw.

Abruptly, Kouga found himself being wrenched away from Naraku and thrown into a nearby wall. The impact momentarily knocked the breath out of him and when he looked up, he saw himself staring into the red eyes of Father Nightroad. The man was beyond pissed and he looked to be more than ready to end continue their last fight.

"That's not Kagome," Kouga snarled and leapt away from the Crusnik, attempting to put some distance between them. The man was more than a match for his own speed and keeping enough space between them might be the only thing that kept him alive until the other two realized they were fucking up. Now he could only pray they realized it in time.

However, any explanations were cut off when Tres unholstered his guns and began firing at the wolf demon. The last time they'd had an issue with Kouga, the Crusnik had been the one to deal with the problem. This time it was his turn and he had no intentions of leaving the other male alive.

"God dammit, you both must be fucking stupid!" Kouga snarled as he leapt out of the way, barely avoiding the deadly projectiles that were heading his way. "It's Naraku you dumbasses, he only looks like Kagome!"

Father Nightroad narrowed his eyes at the statement and turned to look at the girl. All he could sense was fear, which given the circumstances, wasn't unexpected. But would Kouga go so far as to do such a thing to her? Or could the wolf be telling the truth and it wasn't Kagome after all? Suddenly he wasn't so sure.

Naraku could sense the man's growing skepticism and pressed herself closer to the priest's side, "He's lying. Maybe Naraku possessed him or something and he's trying to trick you!" It only took a moment of indecision on the priest's part and Naraku took the opportunity to strike. Blood splattered violently against the rock wall, evidence of the tentacle ripping through the Crusnik's side.

By all rights, it should have been a fatal wound, but Father Nightroad was no ordinary mortal. Even though he hadn't completely transformed into his Crusnik form, he wasn't about to allow Naraku to take him out so easily. While Tres was distracted by Kouga, it was up to him to deal with Naraku. Ruthlessly he shoved the hanyou away and pulled his gun, firing several rounds into the demon's back. While he knew the wounds wouldn't be fatal, it would give him just enough time to heal his own body and then they could see about finishing off the hanyou they hated so much.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha cried, having just ran in to see Father Nightroad shooting Kagome in the back. For a split second his heart skipped a beat, but then he remembered the trick that Naraku had used so many years ago to deceive him. "You bastard," he snarled and leapt towards the fallen 'miko'. He wasn't going to be fooled by Naraku, not again.

The Tetsusaiga transformed immediately and cleaved through the rock where Naraku had been laying only moments before. Laughing menacingly, Naraku allowed his body to shift back to its true form. "Such theatrics, Inuyasha. I'd wondered if you were going to be smart enough to figure out that not all was as it seemed," Naraku said, his voice dripping with evil, "Too bad it was a lesson you had to learn at the expense of Kikyo's life."

"Cut the bullshit, Naraku. I ain't got time to worry about the past. Now where's Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded and eased himself into a battle stance. If he had to cut the bastard up into tiny pieces in order to get his answer, he wouldn't hesitate to do so. "Answer me!"

More laughter followed that question, "Are you so sure she's still here, Inuyasha? Perhaps I've already removed whatever threat she posed and now she's just waiting for me to return to celebrate my victory. Immediately Naraku cast up a shield to repel the bullet that had been aimed for his heart. "Touchy, Tres, is it? If you kill me, you'll never find out where your beloved miko is," Naraku said, smirking at the smoldering anger in the redhead's eyes.

"Who said we're going to kill you yet?" Father Nightroad said, his voice hoarse with the changes coursing through his body. "Death will come for you eventually, but not before I make sure you suffer in agony for your sins."

"By all means, priest, do your worst," Naraku replied darkly and allowed his power to rise. While he was nowhere near his former glory with the Shikon jewel, he wasn't a pushover either. _'This impudent fool will learn that his power is nothing compared to my own!'_

"Nanomachine Crusnik 02, power output eighty percent, activate," Father Nightroad whispered and allowed his body to bend to the nanomachine's will. The high level of energy was justified, both to heal himself and to ensure that Naraku would die. As the others watched, the bloody scythe appeared in his hand and massive black wings unfurled from his back, truly making him appear like an angel of death.

"Oh my god," Sango whispered, both horrified and enthralled by the look in the Crusnik's eyes. Any doubts she might have had about winning this battle vanished in that one horrible instant and she could only watch as Father Nightroad began the lethal dance that could only end in one of their deaths.

Naraku's smirk never faded as the silver haired male launched his attack. While this form of his was impressive, his own barrier was stronger and he was confident that it would be able to repel any attacks. When the scythe impacted the shield it rippled violently and then steadied itself. "Fool, did you think that you'd be able to cut through my barrier? Not even the Tetsusaiga can do that much!"

Father Nightroad was forced to move when a blast of energy erupted from the hanyou's palms, but his confident expression never faltered. "You are the fool to think that I am at full power now. But it is no matter, I don't mind taking the time to rip you apart piece by piece."

"Focus on the situation, Crusnik. Naraku's death is not the only priority," Tres stated coldly, fully focused on the Crusnik and his prey. Kouga was no longer of any concern at this point in time, nor were any of the others. Under any other circumstances he would have been happy to help Nightroad torture the demon, but with Kagome's whereabouts uncertain, it made him want to cut through the bullshit and get straight to the heart of the problem.

A cruel smile formed on the Crusnik's lips, "Do not worry, Tres. I will not be denied in getting the information I seek." The malice in his expression was easily matched by his opponent, but he had no doubts. Power coursed through his body and manifested itself in jagged bolts of lightning that arced off of the walls and caused everyone to take a step back, lest they be caught in its fiery grip.

"Like hell you're doing this alone," Inuyasha snarled and concentrated on the Tetsusaiga, willing it to glow red. While he'd never been able to use it to break Naraku's barrier in the past, there was a chance that it would work now if it was combined with the Crusnik's attack. Either way, he needed to try. His desire to find Kagome was just as pressing as the two priests, and he wasn't going to just stand there and watch while he waited for the fight to end.

Seeing what was about to happen, Sango took a few more steps back and made sure that Shippo was protected behind her. While she wanted to fight, she also needed to keep the kitsune safe. "Stay behind me, Shippo," she said and waited for all hell to break loose. _'I hope you can feel what's going on, Miroku. We might need your help.'_

The room fell silent and Inuyasha poised himself to strike. The moment that Father Nightroad began to move, he did as well. The Tetsusaiga struck Naraku's shield at the exact same moment that the scythe did, but he was immediately thrown backwards. The clash of power rippled and then exploded outwards, slamming into the walls and ceiling, sending shards of rock raining down around them.

"Fuck," Inuyasha growled and rolled out of the way just as a boulder crashed to the ground where he'd been laying down only moments before._ 'Son of a bitch! How the fuck are we going to get to the bastard if we can't get through his barrier?'_

Naraku's mocking laughter echoed through the air as he manifested a spear in his hand. "Fools, did you really think I would make it so easy on you? Come now, you're going to have to try harder than that. There's no way you'll win, not without the miko here to aid you."

Had Kagome been present, it might well have been another story and Naraku knew it. However, with her confined as she was, there were no worries about her or her powers. His smirk widened when he realized that the monk was on his way as well and he decided to give the man something a gift to remember him by before he died.

Sango's eyes narrowed when the bastard's gaze settled on her and she just knew what he was going to attempt. Immediately he disappeared from her sight, but she had anticipated his actions and brought her sword up to defend herself. She was literally in between a rock and a hard place, with very few options, but she wasn't just going to lay down and die. The air whistled when her blade cut the air, however she wasn't aiming for the bastard himself. Instead she focused on turning aside the spear that was meant to pierce her chest. "You're getting careless, Naraku."

"Whatever do you mean, dearest Sango? Just because you managed to buy a few seconds of precious time does not mean that you've saved yourself," Naraku said, his voice little more than a silken caress. He was going to enjoy savoring their deaths and perhaps he would be gracious enough to allow them to live for a while longer, although it would be for his enjoyment only.

"Now, Tres," Father Nightroad growled and leapt forward to attack a second time. While it had become clear that his power alone would not be enough to bring down the barrier, Naraku had made a critical error in reminding them of Kagome's abilities.

Gunfire rang out through the air, echoing off the walls just as Naraku turned to face them and a smirk formed on Tres' face. Purifying energy erupted surrounded the bullets as he pulled on the bond between himself and Kagome. With great satisfaction, he watched the horrified expression overtake the hanyou's face when he realized what was happening, mere moments before they punched through the barrier.

Yet they were far from finished and Abel was well into an attack of his own when Naraku decided to move just a fraction too late. Miasma filled the air as the scythe cut deeply into the demons skin and the Crusnik knew that this was when things were going to get serious. "Everyone get back!" he shouted. While the poison wouldn't affect him, he knew that the others would be at risk and needed to vacate the area.

"Like hell," Inuyasha growled and tried to shield his face with his haori. The stench was overwhelming and his lungs burned with every breath he took, but he refused to back down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Sango was in the process of pulling her mask out.

As much as she hated to do it, Sango tossed it over to the redhead, "Put this on," she shouted and then snatched Shippo up into her arms. Abandoning the fight was not something she wanted to do, but she'd been forced to make a choice. To use the mask herself would mean leaving Tres and Shippo vulnerable to the gases affects, yet giving it to Shippo would be pointless as well. He would be useless in the fight and it would leave her at the mercy of the miasma._ 'I just hope the idiot doesn't take too long. Another couple of seconds and he'll be taken out of the fight.'_

Quickly, she turned to run and nearly slammed face first into Miroku. Catching herself at the last minute, she cast a worried look at the man. "We have to move, Naraku's injured and the room is filling with miasma," she said and pushed the man back in the direction that he'd just come from.

"But what about the others?" Miroku protested and tried to see through the thickening fog that was extending up the tunnel.

With a growl, Sango shoved him harder, urging him to start moving his ass. "They can take care of themselves. Come on, we've got to find Kagome!"

In her mind, that was likely to be the deciding factor in the battle. Kagome alone could purify the miasma enough that the others would be able to breathe again and it was only a matter of time before even Inuyasha succumbed. Whether the Crusnik would be able to stand against it was a matter that they didn't have time to contemplate as they tried to move away from the poisen.

"You're right, let's go!" Miroku said and began leading the two of them back up the tunnel. Guilt plagued him because he knew that if he still had the wind tunnel, he could have cleared the miasma in short order. But now, without it, he felt virtually useless in this fight. The vengeance he longed for his father and the suffering he'd gone through would be unfulfilled, simply because he didn't have the means to avoid the poison. Even his sutras wouldn't be enough to clear out the entire room and he could only hope for the best for those being left behind to fight.

The incline back up the path was brutal, but still they pushed on. The sounds of the fighting were growing dimmer by the moment, however they knew that it was far from being finished. Another blast rocked the cavern and sent them to their knees while the shock waves reverberated through the walls. More rock rained down on them, pelting them with the evidence of the power that was being unleashed not far away.

Shippo pushed himself to his back to his feet as soon as the dust cleared and he sneezed, trying to clear his nose. However, as soon as he did so his eyes widened when a new scent came to him. Quickly he dashed on ahead to see if he was right in his suspicions.

"Shippo wait!" Sango yelled and pushed herself up as well. While he was heading away from the battle, she didn't want them to get anymore separated than what they were already. There was no telling what else lurked in the darkness.

"Hurry up, Sango," Shippo called back over his shoulder, but didn't pause in his headlong dash up the path, "I smell Kagome!"

Sango and Miroku exchanged a startled look and bolted after the kitsune. If the small demon said he smelled the miko through all the dust and the smell of miasma, she had to be fairly close. It wasn't long before they caught up to him because he was kneeling along a large crack in the wall.

Immediately Miroku went to his knees, "Kagome? Can you hear me?" He couldn't sense anything on the other side, but that wasn't much of a surprise with the power that was being thrown about without care. '_Thank Buddha that they're not holding back, otherwise we'd still have little hope of reaching her.'_

The sound of her name being called had Kagome looking up in surprise and rushing in the direction that she'd heard it from. "Miroku? Where are you?" She'd known that the battle was commencing, the sheer amount of rage she'd felt echoing through the bond had been enough to leave her stunned. Frantically, she had continued to search for a way out, but it had seemed all but hopeless.

"We're over here, Kagome," Shippo replied with relief evident in his voice. At least they knew where she was now, even if they still weren't sure how they were going to get her out of there. The crack that had opened up wasn't all that large and he knew there was no way that she'd be able to squeeze through. It wasn't even large enough for him to get his head through. With teary eyes, he turned to look at Sango, "How do we get her out?"

The answer came to the exterminator quickly, "Kagome, I've got a plan to get you out, but I need to know something. With all the explosions that have gone on, how much has the cave that you're in collapsed?"

"No that much," Kagome replied immediately, "Some rocks have fallen, but it's mostly remained intact. What are you thinking?" Hope began to blossom in her chest. If Sango had an idea, she was as good as free.

Sango breathed a sigh of relief, if the cave had collapsed too much then what she had in mind wouldn't have worked. "Kagome, I need you to walk back towards the entrance of the tunnel. Don't go too far, but stay out of the immediate area. I'm going to try to blow a hole through the rock."

The statement had Miroku's brows raising, "You're going to try and use what's left of the gunpowder?" It was at best a risky proposition, especially seeing how much of their own tunnel had collapsed, but it might well be the only way they could get to the miko.

"Yes. We've got one bag left that I can use. It should be just enough to enlarge the hole so she can crawl through," Sango said and untied the small bag from around her waist. Now more than ever she was thankful that they hadn't used it all. Carefully she untied the top and used the rope that had been holding it shut as a fuse.

Miroku picked Shippo up as soon as Sango removed one of the torches from the wall and prepared to light it. "Move now, Kagome!" After issuing the warning, he carried the kitsune to safety and waited for the exterminator to finish up.

"I'm lighting it now," Sango announced and lit the fuse before sprinting towards the others. It only took a few seconds for the explosion to rock the cavern and it sent her sprawling. Ignoring the stinging pain in her hands, Sango regained her feet and looked back towards the crack. "It worked," she breathed out upon seeing the gaping hole.

As they walked back towards it, Kagome slid through the opening and gave them a grateful smile, "Thanks, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get out." Before they could respond however, she turned and looked towards the bottom of the path where she'd felt the outpouring of power, "They're down there, aren't they?"

"Yes, Naraku is injured, but they're still fighting. We had to leave because the miasma was getting to be too strong," Sango replied uneasily. She already knew what Kagome's next move would be, and there wouldn't be a damned thing that she could do to stop her. The boys needed her there, even if it meant she'd be in danger.

"I'm going," Kagome announced and began to run towards where the battle was taking place. There was no way in hell she was going to retreat to safety while the others risked their lives. The visibility was dismal the further down the path she went, but her natural powers of purification cleansed the air around her enough that she could see and breath without a problem. Yet it wasn't enough to give her a clean shot at Naraku once she reached the end of the tunnel. Growling to herself, she un-shouldered her bow and reached for an arrow. While she couldn't fire directly into the midst, she could aim above the room and allow the energy to rain down. _'That should be enough to give me a clear shot.'_

The streak of pink light caught everyone off guard, and brought about a mixture of relief and dread. Kouga was down on one knee, breathing heavily and cursing Naraku's very existence. This was supposed to be finished before Kagome got involved, and here he was letting the other three do most of the work. It was only sheer determination that forced him to his feet. "Your time's up, you bastard!"

Sensing that the tables had turned, Naraku snarled towards the miko. She had to die, otherwise there was a chance that the others would manage to succeed in killing him. Even though he was bleeding profusely from his wounds, he turned away from the Crusnik and launched himself towards the girl. If nothing else, she was a bargaining chip that could allow him to escape.

Kagome saw him coming and was not about to be cowed into shrinking back. Already she had another arrow prepared to fire and when he got within range, she did so. However, she knew that he would attempt to evade the projectile, so she altered her aim just enough so that it struck him in the shoulder. The impact caused him to scream in both anger and pain while she smirked at him. _'Move your asses guys, he's not going to be down for long.'_

Still, Kagome knew that she was in trouble because she didn't have enough time to grab another arrow. He'd be upon her long before she had a chance to draw back on the bowstring. Her only hope lay in the four men that had been fighting Naraku only moments before and she prayed they would be fast enough.

Before Naraku could reach his target though, Abel had sprung into action. Ruthlessly he thrust his hand through the bastard's chest and gripped his heart in a vise like grip. "What were we saying about never turn your back to the enemy?"

"Do you think that will kill me?" Naraku sneered and began to allow his body to morph. Just because the Crusnik had a hold on him meant nothing. He'd still succeed. It just wasn't going to be as easy as he'd thought.

"This? No, but that wasn't the way I planned on ending your life anyway," Father Nightroad replied and began to pull. The food supply he held in his hands was immense and would easily recover all the energy he'd expended throughout the fight and then some.

Suddenly it struck Naraku that this was no ordinary hold that the priest had on him. Weakly, he struggled to break free, but it seemed as if his body was paralyzed by whatever the man was doing. His body pulsed in response to the Crusnik and he was helpless against the agonizing effect of having his blood and energy ripped from him. A scream tore its way free of his throat, but soon that was silenced by the blood that welled up in his chest. His powers of regeneration were all but useless, and soon, he didn't even have the energy left to try.

Father Nightroad dropped the hanyou's limp body to the floor and watched coldly as the man made a feeble attempt to crawl away. There was no sympathy in him, nor in any of the others while the dying man struggled. "In return for your sins, I demand the ultimate sacrifice of your life. May God condemn your soul to hell for all eternity."

Not satisfied with the proclamation, Tres stalked forward and trained both guns on Naraku's head. He remembered how the hanyou had managed to escape death the first time, and he wasn't going to give the man a chance to do it again. Quickly he squeezed off two rounds and watched as the demon's head exploded under the close impact. "Target eliminated. Now it's over."

Slowly, Kagome walked up to the remains and reached a hand out, allowing the power to surge through her. She watched, feeling almost numb as his body turned to dust and her power obliterated his soul. It was truly over and the nightmare that she had thought would never end, had finally come to a close. Where she had expected to feel relief or elation, there was simply nothing and she didn't understand it.

"Let's go, Kagome. It's time to go home," Inuyasha said quietly and looked towards the other three men. It was easy to see by the look on her face how she was feeling, and it didn't surprise him any. A small part of him didn't believe that Naraku was finally gone either, especially since they'd believed it to be true once before. But this time, there was no chance of the other demon coming back simply because there was nothing left of him to be able to pull off such a feat. _'Once she realizes that, maybe she will feel better.'_

_**End of Chapter Seventeen**_

I know this isn't a YYH fic, however, I'd like to put the word out that the talented Madmiko has created a message board dedicated to the Hiei/Kagome pairing. There's even a contest set up for registered members, so feel free to stop by and participate. New members are always welcome!  
thedeadliestsin./index.cgi


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Sorry this took so much time to post. I'm still sorting things out from the move. Hopefully the next chapter will be posted on time, thank you for your patience.

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

It had been just over a month since Naraku had died and it had finally sunk in that the demon wasn't coming back. Yet even though they'd finally accepted that fact, certain members of the group still had a hard time believing it. And why wouldn't they with what had happened the first time?

Kagome especially was having a hard time coming to grips with it. Nightmares had been a near constant for the miko and more than once she'd woken her companions up with her screaming while she relived the terror of being burned alive. But there was nothing that they could do but reassure her that Naraku was gone and that nothing like that was going to happen again. Tres especially had a hard time dealing with her nightmares since the emotions they brought forth also traveled down the bond that they shared and tended to try to pull him into them as well. At those times, it seemed like Abel had been the anchor for both of them, even if he seemed to be having trouble dealing with them himself.

It had been a difficult trial to overcome, but the miko was slowly beginning to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Nothing could change what she had been through, but she at least had the knowledge that both her future self and her family were safe. That in itself was enough to make her feel slightly better, even if it saddened her to know that she'd never see them again.

_'I can't think about that now.'_ The thought crossed her mind as she pulled the shawl she was wearing a bit tighter to ward off the slight chill in the air. There were other things to worry about now and that was precisely the reason she was searching for Kaede. It'd been hell convincing Tres to let her walk through the village alone, but her determination had paid off and the man was currently in the hut brooding over the rejection of his company.

Worry caused Kagome to bite her bottom lip while she scanned the vast garden. Finally she spotted the older woman in the far corner of the field, and she set off to go and speak with her. If anyone could answer the questions she had, it would be the older miko, even though she was pretty sure her suspicions were correct. _'I should have known better, how could I have been so damned stupid?'_

"Kaede?" Kagome called softly, pulling the old woman's attention from collecting her herbs. When her friend turned to look at her, she took a deep breath. There just wasn't any easy way to go about doing this. "Can we talk?"

Nodding slowly, Kaede brushed the dirt off of her hands and stood up. Kagome had been acting strangely ever since they'd returned, but over the past couple of days she'd seemed more stressed than normal. Yet all the questions about whether she was all right or not had been brushed off without explanation. Perhaps now the young woman would open up to her. "Aye, child. What seems to be troubling ye?"

"I've been... meaning to ask about that tea," Kagome replied quietly and shifted uncomfortably. Anxiously she looked around to make sure that they were quite alone with no possibility of being overheard. For this she would much rather have been in the hut, but then they'd be guaranteed no privacy.

"Do you need more of the herbs?" Kaede asked with a raised brow. That would certainly explain the girl's discomfort, especially with how much time she'd been spending around Tres. Perhaps the man wished for more close contact and he was tired of Kagome denying him. The supply of tea that she'd given the girl had to have run out while they were still on the journey to find Naraku.

"Not... quite." Kagome said uneasily, "I kinda' need to know... Are there any side effects to taking the tea?" Seeing the woman's blank look she hurried to continue, "I mean like missed cycles or anything like that?" It was the closest she could come to voicing her suspicions without saying it outright.

"Hmm, perhaps if ye steeped the herbs too long and it strengthened the dose, but generally that is not a concern," Kaede said and gave the girl an appraising look. Something told her, though, that wasn't something the girl in front of her would have done, not unless she'd gotten distracted. But to render those effects, it would have had to have been done repeatedly.

Kagome couldn't keep herself from wincing when she heard the answer. She hadn't thought that was the case, but she had to ask. "What about... if the tea is diluted? Will it still be as effective?"

"How far diluted did ye make it?" Kaede asked uneasily. With all the questions, the situation was becoming clear to her. No, Kagome wouldn't make a mistake by steeping the tea too long. But would she continue taking it at such a weak dose that it would no longer work? _'Aye, if she could not find more of the herbs she would. Oh child, what have ye done?'_

"I... was almost out of tea, back before the fight with Naraku. I tried to make it last, but eventually it might as well have been water. There really wasn't any color to it," Kagome said and stared at the ground to avoid seeing Kaede's expression change. She wasn't sure how the old woman would react, but she didn't want to deal with any disapproval at the moment. Things were about to get hard enough as it was.

Kaede sighed quietly upon hearing just what Kagome had done. The girl had to have known that she was taking a chance; she wasn't stupid after all. Most likely she'd sought to replace her supply, but with how uncommon some of the ingredients were, she might have had a hard time obtaining them. "How long has it been since ye last cycled, Kagome?"

"Over a month ago," Kagome said, unable to deny the truth of the matter. If her body had been on time, she would have had her period about two weeks ago. When she realized she was a week late, she'd hoped that it was just stress causing it. But as the second week had rolled around, she'd been forced to consider the possibility that it wasn't the cause. Nor would it be long before the others realized that something was up since Inuyasha was already giving her strange looks. _'I've heard family pets can figure out if their owner is pregnant, so it wouldn't surprise me if Inuyasha could too.'_

"I hope ye realize what this means, child," Kaede said gently, knowing that the girl was distraught and with good reason. Even she had no idea how either of the men would feel to know that Kagome was with child, although she had her guesses. Father Tres was standoffish and reserved with most people aside from Father Nightroad and Kagome, whereas the Crusnik was more open and friendly, especially towards children.

"I know," Kagome said and looked back towards the hut where Tres was, "What am I going to do now?" While she didn't know where Abel was, she knew that he had to be somewhere close by._'How do I even tell them? I don't think saying Surprise, I'm pregnant would go over that well.'_

"Do ye know which one is the father?" Kaede asked, ignoring the girl's mumbled question for the moment. There wasn't much that she could do except wait for the child to be born. In the meantime though, there were preparations that would have to be made.

Silently Kagome shook her head. While she hadn't lain with either of the two priests since the battle, the last time that she had it had been with each of them in a short time frame. Either one of them being the father was equally likely and she'd have no way of knowing until it was born.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to think about how ye would like to tell them," Kaede advised. Something told her that it wouldn't be long before the secret was out anyway. Inuyasha detecting the pregnancy was always a possibility, but even if he didn't, Kagome was very slight in build. By the time she was two or three months along, there would be tell tale signs that would be impossible to hide.

"Yeah, but how?" Kagome said with a groan and resisted the sudden urge she had to purge her stomach. There were no illusions that this was morning sickness. No, this was just the realization that she was going to have to face the others soon enough and admit that she was so irresponsible. While they probably wouldn't object to the pregnancy so much, they would be pissed that it had happened while they were still hunting Naraku. _'What if we hadn't killed him then? I'd be putting everyone at risk unless I stayed in the village.'_ However she knew that had that happened, neither Abel nor Tres would have been willing to leave her unguarded in the village. It would have meant Inuyasha and the others going off alone, just to keep Naraku from getting stronger. _'Someone would have died this time and it would have been because of me.'_

Eventually Kaede stepped up beside the younger woman and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's best not to concern thyself with the past right now. Instead focus on the future and what must be done. They need to know, and ye are the only one who should tell them. Do not make the mistake of allowing them to find out through other means."

"You're probably right," Kagome said with a sigh. She could already imagine the reactions she'd get if they figured it out on their own, or worse, heard it from someone else. Then they'd demand to know why she kept it a secret from them. Not to mention, they were already convinced that there was something wrong with her just from the way she'd been acting lately._ 'As if I could be normal with everything that's happened. Hell, I feel like I've been put through the wringer and the day isn't over yet.'_

"Then I'll be seeing ye later in the day. Return to the hut, child, before ye catch a chill. I'm sure that Father Tres is anxiously waiting for ye to return," Kaede advised and ushered the girl off. Now that she was aware of the situation, there were things that even she needed to begin doing. Special herbs and vegetables that were rich in nutrients would need to be gathered to keep the girl's health up, especially with winter approaching.

Heeding the older woman's words, Kagome began walking back towards the hut they were all staying in. Her approach was slow and deliberate, while her mind raced over all the different ways she could approach the subject. Talking to her lovers one at a time seemed to be the best option, or at least, the least overwhelming one. Sure, it meant that she would have to go through 'the talk' twice, but it kept her stress at a lower level. Or she hoped so anyway, there was no telling how she would ultimately end up feeling when it happened.

"So did Kaede tell you what you needed to hear?" Inuyasha asked, appearing at Kagome's side like he'd been there all along.

"You were spying on me?" Kagome asked, her voice flat in spite of the exasperation she felt. Sometimes she wished the hanyou was a little less adept at hiding, it would save her a few headaches at any rate.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders in response, "Call it what you want, but I knew anyway. So are you going to tell them now?" It was slightly surprising to him that the other two males hadn't noticed her condition yet, but he supposed that could be blamed on Abel's case of being preoccupied with something. And Tres just didn't know the signs, so at least he had an excuse for being oblivious.

"It's not like I have much of a choice, do I?" Kagome replied quietly, not bothering to look at the hanyou.

"You've got a point," Inuyasha said and looked towards the hut, "For what it's worth, I don't think either one of them is going to freak out. The timing might not be the best and you three have got a lot of shit to figure out, but I think they'll be happy."

Kagome wished that she could be so sure, but it seemed to be beyond her capabilities at the moment. It was strange really, that she wasn't more excited about this. Wasn't it supposed to be every girl's dream to get married and have a family? Yet when had her dreams ever come true, and if they even did come close to being realized, there was always something to put a damper on things._'Like not being sure who the father of your child is? Or better yet, how they're even going to take it. Abel and Tres are still not on the best of terms and I'm not sure how to fix things between them.'_

"I hope you're right," Kagome murmured and then parted company with her long time friend. This was not something that she wanted an audience for and as she stepped inside the hut, she was relieved to see that Tres was the only one inside. It would have been just her luck that someone would have snuck in while she was talking with Kaede. When the redhead looked up at her from his spot on the floor, she offered him a tentative smile, "Hey, can we talk for a bit?"

Feeling the trepidation coming from the miko, Tres nodded his head a bit warily. There was no telling what had set Kagome on edge, and he didn't like it. However, if she was finally willing to open up, it meant that he could deal with whatever was troubling her.

Kagome knew that he was waiting for her to continue, so she took a seat across from the fire so that she could look at him. As much as she wanted the reassurance that his closeness would bring, there was no guaranteeing she'd get it. Finally she took a deep breath and began to speak, "Tres, have you ever... considered a family before?"

"Negative," Tres replied immediately and then scrutinized her carefully, "What would prompt you to ask this question?"

"Curiosity," Kagome said and fidgeted beneath his gaze, "I mean... you know that it's bound to happen sometime right? We're not exactly married, but it's close enough. Sooner or later we're looking at the possibility of kids." Again she nibbled her lip when she realized that he didn't exactly look convinced about her explanation, not that she blamed him anyway. There was so much more to it than just mere curiosity. "Do you even like kids, Tres?"

"They are of no great importance," Tres said, thinking back to the time when Lady Caterina had ordered him to kill Elise because she possessed the power of touch telepathy. The threat the young girl had posed was great, and he could understand the need to eliminate her, even though in the end he hadn't been able to do so. Pulling himself from his memories, he fixed her with a harder look, "Your reasoning for the question is incomplete, please elaborate in detail why you are asking."

"No great importance, huh?" Kagome felt as if she could cry. Granted, she wasn't expecting him to jump up and down for joy at the idea, but something more of a positive response would have gone a long way to making her feel better. "And if I told you that I was expecting a child, would it still be of _no great importance_?"

"I would question your certainty to your condition," Tres replied matter-of-factly and began to pull on information he'd gained while he lived within the Vatican, "A woman in her twenties takes on average five months to conceive while actively trying. You should test to confirm your theory."

The way he'd said that as if he was reading something out of a book had Kagome staring at him like he'd grown a second head. "Does it look like I can just run outside and find a damned stick to pee on?" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Where the hell do you get these statistics?"

"Why... would you need a stick to pee on?" Shippo asked uncertainly, just having walked through the door. The spoken words had stopped him cold and he had to do a double take before blinking in surprise. This had to be the strangest thing he'd ever heard come out of her mouth.

"Oh my god," Kagome moaned and wished for a sturdy enough wall to beat her head against._ 'How the hell am I going to explain this one?'_ It was just her luck that Shippo had chosen that exact moment to come in. "It's not important, Shippo. We were just having a private discussion is all."

"Are you sure, Kagome?" Shippo looked at her doubtfully, "If you need a stick, I'll go get one for you." While he might not understand what she needed to pee on one for, if Tres wouldn't get it for her, then it would be up to him.

"I'm positive, Shippo," Kagome said, her expression one of complete mortification, "Can you do me a favor and wait outside. It won't be long, I promise." Right now all she wanted was for the kit to leave so she could die of embarrassment in peace, right after she kicked Tres in the shin for putting her in that position in the first place.

"Okay, but you might want to hurry. I saw Father Nightroad heading towards the coast and he wouldn't say where he was going," Shippo replied uneasily. That had been the only reason that he'd come in to begin with, because as far as he knew the man had no reason to go that far from the village.

"That's odd," Kagome muttered to herself and decided that she'd better hurry up with this discussion and then find out what Abel was up to. She knew that they'd been discussing building a hut of their own since they couldn't stay in Kaede's forever, but to her knowledge they weren't even considering something near the ocean.

Once Shippo left the hut, she cleared her thoughts of the Crusnik and settled back to deal with Tres. "I hope you realize that there's no sort of pregnancy test that I can take in this time period. Trust me on that one. So my question still stands, if I told you I was pregnant, would it still be of no great importance?"

Tres stared at her hard for several long moments, trying to gauge just how serious she was. There was nothing in her demeanor that would indicate that she was proposing a hypothetical situation, so it left him with no other option but to seriously consider her question. What would he think? His brows furrowed for a moment; he'd never really considered the possibility. This was new territory he was getting into here and he had no previous experiences to draw upon. "It would be... something new to adjust to."

_'I suppose that's his way of saying he has no idea how to take this.' _The thought wasn't exactly a comforting one, but it was better than him rejecting the possibility completely. "I guess it will have to do," she sighed, "It's not like I can go back in time and change this anyway so you're going to end up getting a crash course in parenting."

"Does Father Nightroad know of the situation?" Tres asked curiously. For some reason it was important to know whether or not she'd come to him first, but as soon as he asked the question, another one came to him. "Which one of us is the father?"

"No he doesn't and I have no idea. It could be either your's or his since this happened just before we went into the mountain," Kagome said and narrowed her eyes at the redhead, "What if it is his? Is this going to become another problem between the two of you?" So help her if it did, they were getting twin rosaries. It was going to be hard enough raising a child in this era without any of the comforts of her own time that made things easier. Putting up with two headstrong males on top of it would just be too much.

"Negative, it will have no bearing upon the situation," Tres replied, even though he himself wasn't sure. To immediately go from not even considering the possibility of a family to having one and then finding out it might not even be his was a bit much to take. He couldn't give her the definitive answer that she sought, but to tell her that he was uncertain was just inviting trouble. He wasn't in the mood to listen to her lecture about his jealous tendencies.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Kagome said, ignoring the niggling suspicion in the back of her mind that said Tres wasn't being completely truthful. It wasn't like she could call him on it anyway. "I guess I should go tell Abel now, assuming I can catch him. Which reminds me, do you know why he's heading to the coast?"

"Father Nightroad has been restless of late," Tres replied, but didn't elaborate. He was fairly certain that he knew where the man was going and for a moment he wondered if it was, perhaps, best to find a reason to keep Kagome in the village. He, of all, people knew that the Crusnik didn't want a long drawn out goodbye and he'd been spending more and more time alone over the past month. Once his partner had been assured that Kagome would be okay, he'd begun to think about leaving again.

"I've noticed," Kagome said and stood up from her spot on the floor, "Come on, it's time to go figure out what's bugging him." When Tres didn't move, she raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Don't tell me you'd actually consider letting me leave the village on my own. What is the world coming to?"

"That is not an option," Tres said flatly and gave the woman a serious look, "Do his actions concern you that much?" After all, it wasn't like this was the first time that the Crusnik went on a walk.

"Of course they're a concern," Kagome said with a huff and crossed her arms, "Get up so we can get going."

Wordlessly he did as she wanted and accompanied her out the door to find Kirara. As they walked he had to wonder if perhaps it had been wrong of him to hope that Kagome would just allow his partner to go.

Jealousy was not an attribute that one should encourage and in fact, envy which went hand in hand with jealousy, was one of the seven deadly sins. But he couldn't help but desire that Kagome would look solely at him. In the end, he knew it just wasn't possible, not while Father Nightroad remained nearby. Keeping the Crusnik's plans from her would get him what he desired, but at what cost? How would she react if she ever learned that he had the knowledge that would have helped her stop Abel from leaving?

He studied her carefully as she climbed aboard the fire cat and then slid up behind her. She seemed to be awfully quiet and had a grim expression on her face which caused him to sigh. In the end, her reaction wasn't something that he wanted to contemplate too hard. Father Nightroad had demanded his word that he would say nothing to the miko, and thus far he hadn't. It had been Shippo that had tipped the woman off to the fact that the Crusnik was heading off to some unknown destination. To deny her request would not only cause her to go off on her own, but to also question him later as to whether or not he knew that Abel was going to leave.

That was something that was to be avoided at all cost. Even having known Kagome for as short a time as he had, he was well aware of how she would react to that situation. The betrayal that she would feel would be overwhelming, not to mention she might turn her back on him as well. Even if he were to discount how that would affect him, if she truly was with child, such stress could not be good for her. _'But is what Nightroad intends to do any better?'_ For that, he really didn't have an answer.

Kagome scanned the ground carefully as they flew, looking for any sign of the priest. With the coast being an hour's walk, there weren't too many places that he could be unless he was purposefully avoiding being found. That was entirely possible knowing that particular man and the thought made her more than a bit uneasy. And Tres seemed to be brooding, which wasn't helping her nerves any either. Something was definitely wrong, but she couldn't tell what it was. For all she knew, he could still be thinking over the idea that he might be a father in the next nine months and he wasn't sure how to take it. _'I'm not even sure how to take it. Of course he's not going to be excited about the prospect._'

Yet the closer they got to the coast the more nervous she got. There was a decent sized village there that had a variety of goods that could not be obtained anywhere else, but something told her that wasn't the reason he was there. Again the thought that he might be wanting to live there crossed her mind, however she wasn't sure why he wouldn't have brought it up before.

Suddenly the fire cat began picking up speed, causing Kagome to grip her fur tighter, "Have you found him, Kirara?" A slight growl was her only response, but Kagome took it as a good sign. They were now on the outskirts of the village and the fire cat was beginning to descend, although it wasn't fast enough to indicate they were right on top of him.

"Dammit, where are you, Abel?" Kagome muttered and squinted against the sunlight glinting off the water. She could see that a large boat was docked at the port and what looked to be supplies were being loaded. While she couldn't imagine what Abel would be doing there, it seemed to be exactly where Kirara was heading. Suddenly, she saw a head of silver hair, trapped in a high pony tail, heading towards the ship and Kagome's heart sank. "There he is, Kirara."

Inwardly Tres was cursing the fact that they'd managed to arrive in time. Now he would be forced to watch this particular argument unfold when his own mind and heart were so divided. Ultimately the decision would be up to Abel and he'd already made up his mind not to interfere. If the Crusnik stayed, it would be because Kagome managed to convince him. He watched Kagome slide off of Kirara's back the moment that they touched the ground and he followed suit, although he remained by the fire cat's side. Now it was up to Kagome to challenge his partner's choice to leave.

"Abel?" Kagome called quietly as soon as she came within speaking distance. Although the man's back was turned, she knew that he had heard her by the way that he tensed. Suddenly it became all too clear what he was doing when he refused to face her. The small traveling bag in his hand spoke wonders. "You're leaving us."

"I am," Abel replied quietly and tightened his grip on the bag. Inwardly he was cursing the fact that she'd come. He'd been so close to his goal of vanishing without a trace and avoiding the long, drawn out goodbye that would invariably end in tears.

"Why?" Kagome asked in a strangled whisper, her heart breaking. "Why would you leave us? And without even saying goodbye. Do we mean that little to you?" She just didn't understand why he'd want to do such a thing. Was he truly that unhappy with the situation? With her?

After a long moment of silence, Abel answered, "I have to. I don't belong here, I never did. I had my orders to do a job and now it's finished." As he spoke he could feel her anguish increasing with each word and his own heart ached, but he had to remain strong because this was for the best. The entire time he'd walked to the port, he'd tried to harden his heart to what he was about to do. He knew if Kagome managed to confront him, she'd use any weakness she felt to try and convince him to stay.

"You can't tell me that I was just a job to you. Maybe at first, but I know it didn't stay that way," Kagome said, her eyes bright with tears. She didn't want to break down in front of him, but she had to make him see reason. "You say you don't belong here? Where do you think you're going to go? Rome holds nothing for you now, no friends, no family. This is your home now, Abel. Don't throw that all away."

"That's where you're wrong, Kagome. I made a mistake and got too close. I was never meant to remain here and my life is still devoted to the church. The penance for my sins, for what I am, is to continue to protect humans. I must return and continue my life's work, even if my friends are not there to guide me," Father Nightroad replied and turned to look at her once he had his mask firmly in place. He wouldn't allow her to see just how badly this was hurting him. It would just cause her to fight harder.

"And I suppose it never occurred to you to ask if I'd go with you, did it?" Kagome said and clenched her fists, "Hell, you know that Tres would agree to go back with you too. Stop being so damned selfish! You say you want to make a difference. What's stopping you from doing that here?"

"You are," Abel replied flatly even though he inwardly winced at the way her expression changed. It was like he had slapped her and even Tres was looking at him in surprise. But still he pushed on, "There are wars going on in Europe even now. Battles are taking place where my skills would be better put to use. It is pointless for me to remain here."

"There are wars going on here too," Kagome countered hotly, "You don't have to travel half way around the world if all you're looking for is a damned fight. You've seen how the people here are suffering. If you want to make a difference, start here. If that still isn't enough for you, we can all go wherever you want. Just don't go, not like this."

Father Nightroad fixed her with a irritated look, causing her to take a step back, "How can I possibly make a difference here? You know as well as I do that you can't possibly stay out of a fight that's not your own, especially when there's someone you care for involved. To keep you safe I would be chaining myself to your side, remaining in the village and doing nothing. You have Tres doing that already, you don't need me as well."

"But we do need you," Kagome growled in irritation. He was being exceedingly hardheaded and refusing to listen to reason. He wanted a purpose, a reason to stay? Oh she had one for him alright. "Fine, you want to go, then go. But not before you hear what I have to say."

"I've heard more than enough, Kagome. There's nothing that you could say that would convince me to stay. You seem to believe this is something that I'm doing out of some sense of misguided duty, but it's not. I do not wish to remain here. You will accept this and move on," Father Nightroad replied, causing the girl to fall silent. By now a crowd had gathered around them to witness the argument. Many were looking at him with disapproval, but he wasn't concerned with their opinions of him.

Kagome stared at the ground, unable to look at him. It seemed that everything she'd come to believe with him meant absolutely nothing. He viewed the time they'd spent together as a mistake that shouldn't have happened. He'd come to kill Naraku and gotten more than he'd bargained for. It was a bitter pill to swallow. "Nothing will make a difference then. Not the fact that I love you, nor that I wish for you to remain with us. Not even the fact that..."

"No, none of it matters," Abel replied, cutting her off in mid sentence. He couldn't listen anymore, not when she was quickly wearing down his will to carry through with his plans. This was what was best for them all, but mostly for her. It would pain her now, he could see that clearly. But in the end, she would recover and be all the stronger for it. The relationship she had with Tres would be allowed to grow stronger without interference and eventually the wounds he'd inflicted on her heart would heal. He stared at her for one last moment, memorizing every detail of her face. It was an image that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Slowly he turned from her and whispered, "Goodbye, Kagome."

There was no response as he walked up the plank onto the ship, and thankfully, she didn't attempt to follow him. Only once he was settled below deck did he allow his head to sink into his hands and for the first time since Noelle had died, he cried for what he had lost.

_**End of Chapter Eighteen**_


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: So it wasn't quite such a long wait for this chapter. We may just be getting back into the swing of things for updates.

For everyone looking for new things to read, we've recently run a contest on our Hiei/Kagome forum: The Deadliest Sin. Registered members can get a sneak peek at these stories before they hit the public sites, and you can even have a hand at choosing the winner. Come check it out! Http :// thedeadliestsin .proboards55 . com/

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

It had been four months since the day that Father Nightroad had walked out of their lives. There wasn't a day that Kagome didn't think about him, and often she wondered if there was anything that she could have done to make him stay. It had taken a long time for her anger and hurt to fade away enough that she could feel him through the bond again, despite the distance that separated them but it had finally happened.

A sigh escaped her lips and she continued to stare at Tres and Inuyasha working in the distance, even though she really wasn't seeing them. Instead her thoughts were turned inward, focused on the sorrow coursing through her that was not her own. Now she could understand that Abel hadn't wanted to leave, even if she didn't understand why he had forced the issue. Regret was prevalent through the bond, as was longing and she often wondered if perhaps he might return.

Would she be able to greet him with open arms if a reunion came about? Honestly she wasn't so sure. She'd begun to forgive him for the hurtful things that he had said, but not meant. However that didn't mean that Inuyasha had. When he'd learned that the Crusnik had left, he'd exploded in a rage and if it hadn't been for the fact that the target of his anger was over open water, he would have gone and hunted the priest down. It was a battle that would not have ended well and Kagome wasn't so sure that Inuyasha had calmed down enough to face the man again yet.

Perhaps one day things would be settled enough, if Abel ever decided that he wanted to return. Kagome's eyes settled on Tres and she sighed again. The redhead seemed to be mostly indifferent to the fact that his partner had left, although he had been going out of his way to make up for Abel's absence. He was if nothing else attentive, to the point of hovering even. Even when she'd attempted to push him away he'd persisted and it had only gotten worse as the signs of her pregnancy had made itself known. In short he was driving her to distraction at times.

Uncomfortably she shifted when the baby kicked her rather harshly, as if saying that it didn't like the melancholic path that her thoughts had taken. Gently she rubbed the sore spot on her side, feeling the foot press firmly against the palm of her hand. _'Yeah, you're definitely unhappy with the way today is going, aren't you?'_ She knew that she should probably take the opportunity to lay down and perhaps stretch her back out, but now that spring was upon them she was having a hard time accepting the thought of going back inside. She'd been cooped up for far too long and it had taken a while for her to convince both Tres and Inuyasha to even let her come outside to watch them work.

The pregnancy certainly hadn't been easy on her. The worst had to be the agonizing backaches along with the migraines that came with them. With a sigh she glanced down to her swollen stomach, for being only five months along she felt huge. Kaede had tried to reassure her by attributing her size to the fact that both Abel and Tres were so tall while she was... well, short. _'If I didn't know better I'd say she was full of it and that I was expecting twins.' _

However if that was the case, then one of them was unusually quiet since she never felt more than two feet kicking her at a time. The only blessing had been she hadn't been horribly afflicted with morning sickness on top of it all. _'That would have just been the icing on the cake, although it wouldn't surprise me with all the crap they're having me eat.'_ By far the most disgusting had to be the liver of any animal that Inuyasha had killed, but she still ate it. However, she put her foot down when he insisted that she eat her meat raw, citing that the fresh blood would keep her from getting anemic. _'Maybe I should have listened to him. It's not like I can get iron pills here and I'm always so tired.'_

Speaking of Inuyasha, he had stopped in his work and was currently looking at her, although for what she wasn't exactly sure. She was about to get up to see if he wanted something, but just before she could even attempt to move, he looked away and resumed what he was doing. _'It's probably a good thing, I don't think I could get up without help anyway.'_

Inuyasha looked at the wooden planks with irritation before looking at the redhead that was laboring beside him to frame in the house they were attempting to build. While this was the last thing he wanted to do, neither Tres nor Kagome and the baby could continue staying in Kaede's little hut. At first the suggestion had been made to make a hut of slightly larger size for the three of them, but Inuyasha had quickly killed that idea. With her failing health, something so drafty was not an option for either her or the child. It was bad enough that they were limited in where she could stay now and he was worried that she was only going to become more ill. _'I don't know what we were thinking when we said she could sit outside today.' _However it was a bit too late to change the decision without a war breaking out and at that point he wasn't sure that was something any of them wanted to deal with.

The best thing that he could do was keep working and not dwell on the issue. They had to get this house finished, but it had been almost a total disaster at the beginning. Unfortunately, he knew next to nothing about building houses and had been forced to rely on Tres for suggestions. Some had worked, others, unfortunately had not. Eventually though they had the basic concept down and things were now moving smoothly; which was a blessing in his opinion since Kagome had begun pestering them to let her watch them work. He really hadn't wanted her watching during the trial and error stage of building this house. If nothing else he wanted to spare himself the embarrassment, even if he didn't give a rat's ass about Tres and his feelings.

However his irritation for the day wasn't on the house itself per say, but the person who should have been there working along side of them. _'I sure as hell won't be living in this thing! I shouldn't even have to be working on it.'_ Yet there was really no other choice, not if he wanted Kagome to get better, even if it would do little to dispel the despair that seemed to have settled over her. When she'd returned that day, she'd been completely inconsolable and he hadn't known how to help her. But the anger and hurt she had felt had to be better than the forgiveness that she was extending to the bastard that was responsible for the whole mess._ 'Really, you'd think she'd be mad at both of them, not blaming herself for something that she wasn't responsible for.'_

_'Well, even if she can't hate him, I've got enough anger for the both of us.' _A desire burned within him to run into Abel sometime in the near future so he could remove the bastard's head, but he knew how unlikely that was. If the man hadn't come back, even after feeling what Kagome had gone through then he wasn't going to. The sheer amount of self loathing the girl had put herself through about not being good enough was enough to put him into a rage, even after all the time that had passed. _'She didn't need those fucking doubts he put in her head and the bastard had to know what he was doing.' _Absolutely nothing could convince him that the man was thinking of the girl's best interests. He'd gotten scared, plain and simple and he couldn't handle the reality that he couldn't have the girl all to himself.

Yet he knew that Nightroad wasn't the only one responsible for what had happened and he was certain that the man standing next to him could have prevented the whole thing. He longed to unleash his anger on that particular target, but to do so would immediately arouse Kagome's suspicion. Covertly he gazed at her through his bangs while he picked up another board and then held it in place so that Tres could nail it up. Did she suspect that Tres had a hand in Abel's decision to leave? If she did, she hadn't said anything as of yet._ 'She's probably afraid that he'll abandon her too. Even though she has us, Tres and Abel have become such a large part of who she is, she's afraid of losing the both of them.' _

But her reluctance to question him only caused more questions to burn in his mind. Surely the Crusnik had said something besides the shit he'd spewed out to Kagome before he'd left. However, it certainly wasn't said to him and he doubted that the man had opened up to Miroku either. No, there was only one person who knew what was going on in that moron's head, and that was the man next to him. Finally, curiosity got the better of him and he decided to initiate the conversation that would give him the answers he desired.

"I think it's time we talked," he said at last, although he was careful to keep his voice low enough so that there was no chance they could be overheard. He also continued working so that Kagome wouldn't get any bright ideas, like get up from the stool that she was sitting on at the moment.

The hanyou's tone told Tres exactly what subject it was that he wanted to talk about and immediately he stiffened. Truthfully he'd been expecting this conversation for a while and it surprised him that the hanyou had waited so long. "We have nothing to speak of," he stated calmly and grabbed another handful of nails.

While Inuyasha held another plank in place, he fixed the redhead with a glare, "Like hell we don't. I want to know why the fuck you didn't stop him." He refused to believe that Abel would decide to leave out of the blue like that and not stop to make sure that Tres would continue protecting Kagome. He might not know either man all that well, but even he realized that the Crusnik would have at least done that much.

"Father Nightroad had made his decision and he was under no obligation to remain once Naraku was eliminated. Nothing I could have said would have made a difference," Tres replied and began hammering the board in place. It was the truth as he saw it and Inuyasha was going to have to accept it. He'd made the promise to remain with her forever, the Crusnik had not.

"No?I call bullshit on that answer,_" _Inuyasha said with a snort, "You don't think that knowing he was about to become a father would have made a shits worth of difference?" While Nightroad might have been a lot of things, it didn't strike him that being the type of person to abandon his child would be one of them, or walking away from the child's mother, if only he had known.

Immediately Tres stiffened and looked at the hanyou, his expression unidentifiable. "The child's parentage is as of yet unknown, and would have only prolonged the inevitable. A clean break was best for all involved."

"You mean the best for you, because it sure as shit wasn't the best for Kagome," Inuyasha said with a growl, "Face it. This worked out only in your best interest and you were being to selfish to think about anyone but yourself. If Kagome wasn't important enough to consider, then what about that kid, huh? What do you think it's going to think when it finds out that daddy left because he or she wasn't important enough to stick around for?" His eyes narrowed as he picked up the redhead's increasing agitation, "I struck a nerve didn't I? You're so wrapped up in the fact that you get to play house that you don't even want to consider the likelihood that this kid ain't yours."

Calming himself, Tres took a deep breath, but refused to look at the hanyou. The man had indeed struck a nerve, but contrary to what Inuyasha thought, the decision had been made in what they believed was Kagome's best interest. As for the determination of the child's father, he refused to think about that at this time. "We've had this discussion already. Parentage cannot be..."

"Determined yet? Oh, for crying out loud, shut up! Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Use some common sense for once and stop relying on those damned statistics and probabilities that you like to pull out of your ass. Or is it that you'd rather be blind to the fact that Nightroad's genes probably gave him the advantage over you in getting her pregnant?" Inuyasha's smirk turned malicious when Tres' eyes narrowed. One way or another he was going to make damned sure that the redhead knew how he felt about this entire situation.

"Are you implying that you already have the answer to that question?" Tres asked, tired of the hanyou's games. If the man had solid, concrete proof, then he wanted to hear it and if he didn't, then Inuyasha needed to stand down before the situation got ugly. He hadn't been ready to consider the fact that the child might not be his and what would need to be done if it wasn't. Nor was it something that he really wanted to deal with right now.

Crossing his arms, Inuyasha leaned against the wooden framework they'd just put up, "It seems pretty damned obvious to me, no matter what Kaede has said. But I guess since you're just a human, you wouldn't know these things, would you?"

Tres ignored that particular jab and stared blandly at the hanyou, "Your vague way of answering is unacceptable. If you wish to continue this discussion, elaborate without the dramatics, otherwise we should finish this conversation later where Kagome does not have a chance to interfere." Of course, talking wasn't likely to be the only thing that ended up stemming from that little confrontation, but the hanyou's constant attempts at irritating him were beginning to grate on his nerves. One way or another he was going to end this little game that was being played and he would be just as happy if it was finished at this moment.

"You want to have a go at it? That's fine by me, just name the place. Kagome might not have asked you whether you knew that chicken shit was going to run or not, but that's because she doesn't want to think that she can't trust you too. I ain't got no problems saying what I think and I'm saying there ain't no way in hell he left without saying something," Inuyasha retorted angrily, his voice raising slightly, "You know it's pretty shitty if you think about it. Midoriko chose the two of you to watch over her and you couldn't even manage to do that much. For her sake I hope I'm wrong and that kid is yours. Because I can't imagine how Kagome's going to feel knowing each time she looks at it, that it's father was a no good bastard that couldn't even be bothered to stick around long enough to find out he was going to be a father."

Before Tres could make a retort, either verbal or physical they were interrupted by one extremely pissed off demon slayer who had come up just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. "Are you two finished?" she said with a growl and glared up at the both of them. While she wasn't sure what had started this particular discussion, she wasn't about to let it continue any further.

"Stay out of it, Sango. This is between me and Tres," Inuyasha snapped and stared the redhead down. He really didn't give a shit if the man threw a punch at him, he'd take it gladly and then return it in spades.

"I don't care who it's between. Do you want Kagome to know what the two of you are fighting about?" Sango hissed angrily. She didn't know how these two could be so damned stupid. Kagome felt bad enough over what had happened and she was only recently coming out of the depression that she'd fallen into. What these two idiots were doing would toss her right back into it and she wasn't about to stand by and watch it happen.

When neither of them spoke, she stared them both down. "You two need to stop and think for once. You know, pulling your heads out of your asses might be a nice touch while you're at it. You," Sango said and poked her finger into Tres' chest, "If you know how to get in touch with Abel, then I suggest you do so. Because Inuyasha is right for once. If the child is his, then Kagome is going to need him. Contrary to what you believe, you are not going to be able to fill that void."

Tres scowled down at the woman, but didn't say anything for the moment. Whether Inuyasha or Sango chose to believe it or not, he would take care of Kagome and the child, regardless of who the father was. He'd promised Kagome that much at least and although he was uncertain about how he would feel if he wasn't the father, he wasn't going to leave either. While it was true that Abel would probably come running if he knew, just what would that accomplish besides putting them back in the strained position they were before he left? It wasn't something he wanted to contemplate.

"And you," Sango said, turning her attention to Inuyasha, "As much as I might agree with you, quit baiting him. Right now, he's all that Kagome has and as much as you might not like it, she needs him. Picking a fight is just going to make things worse. If you want to help, find a way to drag Nightroad back here, otherwise lay off." She'd always harbored a bad feeling about the situation and her gut instinct had proven correct. She'd never been the type of girl to believe in cheesy happy endings, but she'd been hoping that she'd be wrong, just this once. It was tragic really and she did not envy her friend in the least. Miroku might be a complete lecher, but even he wouldn't pull something like this.

"Trust me, Sango. If I knew where the bastard was, I'd have already dragged him back by his hair," Inuyasha said irritably and gave Tres one last scathing look, "If you ever decide to pull your head out of your ass, let me know. Sooner or later you're going to understand just how badly you fucked up. I just hope it's before anymore damage is done to your relationship with Kagome." With that he turned and walked away from the two of them. Continuing to work with the redhead at this time was pointless and they'd get nothing done. As he walked, he cast one last look over his shoulder and nearly snorted. Sango looked ready to blow up and he'd chosen just the right time to leave. Now he just had to clear the area so she could do what she needed to. _'She'll straighten his ass out, one way or another.'_

"What's going on over there?" Kagome asked worriedly the moment that Inuyasha came close enough to speak to. She'd felt the intense anger coming from Tres, even if she hadn't been close enough to tell what was going on. At first she believed it was the normal male crap that happened when they couldn't decide on how to do something, but when she felt the slightest traces of guilt from the redhead, she became unsure.

Inuyasha stretched out a hand and helped the girl to her feet making sure she was steady before even considering an answer. She looked entirely too pale out in the sunlight and he didn't know how to fix it. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her further so he considered his answer carefully.

"Keh, the idiot wanted to change how we were doing something and I told him it wouldn't work. We want the house done by the time the kid comes, not when it's walking. Let's take you back inside before you fall down, all right?" The lie flowed easily from his lips and he didn't feel the least bit guilty. Everything he'd told the man had needed to be said and for once he was thankful that Kagome was large enough that she couldn't really get up on her own. Otherwise they would have had her storming over to find out what was happening and that would not have ended well at all.

"Is that all?" Kagome asked in surprise and looked over to Tres who seemed to be on the receiving end of one of Sango's tirades. It was amazing that the man was just standing there taking it, but then again, when the slayer had something to stay, everyone listened.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said with a nod of his head and turned her towards Kaede's hut, "Come on." He didn't want the miko out there watching in case things became violent between the two near the half finished house.

For a moment Kagome balked and looked uncertainly back towards her lover, "Are you sure we shouldn't wait?"

"Don't worry about him. He'll be back and hovering over you in no time," Inuyasha said with a snort and prodded the girl along. When she continued to hesitate he quirked an eyebrow at her, "Don't make me carry you."

"Heaven forbid," Kagome replied dryly and started walking. She would have continued to wait except she knew that Inuyasha would do just as he'd threatened and then all hell would break loose. Both Tres and Sango would wonder if something had happened and if the baby was coming early, which meant it would be up to her to get them to calm down._ 'No, walking is definitely easier. I just hope Kaede has some tea made when we get there, maybe that will get rid of this headache before it gets any worse.'_

She knew that most likely her evening was going to spent with a sulking priest, who wouldn't tell her what was wrong, but it would definitely have something to do with Inuyasha stepping on his toes somehow._ 'Sometimes I wonder if they'll ever get along again.' _Of course if that ever happened, she might believe the world was about to end because neither one of them seemed to be able to be civil to each other for more than a couple of minutes at a time._ 'Now all we need is for Kouga to stop by to just top my day off. If I hear him say just one more time that he knew he couldn't trust Abel and that I should have just chosen him instead, I might have to find a cliff to push him off of.'_

Inuyasha watched the scowl on her face deepen and he shook his head. It would figure that she was brooding again, but it was to be expected. Pregnant women were always so hormonal, which was one reason why he'd never had any desire to stay close to one of them, despite how he'd been welcomed into the village. But this time, he really didn't have much of a choice. It was Kagome and even knowing her temper, he couldn't just run for the hills no matter how tempting it was.

Wordlessly he held the mat aside for her and then followed her into the hut. As expected, Kaede was seated in front of the fire with a pile of material. The old woman was wasting no time in making the clothing that the child would need. Kagome helped where she could, but the miko's sewing skills weren't exactly the greatest so most of the time the older miko took over. "What are you working on this time, grandma?"

Kaede's eyebrow twitched at the nickname, but she didn't react to the jab like she normally would. Instead she concentrated on tightening the stitches and making sure that they were evenly spaced. "Clothing, Inuyasha. Ye don't expect the child to come out fully clothed, do ye?"

"Tch, of course not. Weren't you working on clothes two days ago though?" Inuyasha asked, his ears twitching with amusement. If nothing else the old lady was fun to banter with, especially because she was the most outspoken of the women in the village with the exception of Kagome.

"Hush, Inuyasha. It takes time to make these things," Kagome said tiredly and lowered herself carefully to the floor before picking up her own forgotten project. _'At least its an easy one. Even I can't mess up a blanket too badly.'_

"So what brings ye back inside, Kagome. I figured it would take thee longer seeing how nice it is outside," Kaede asked curiously. After how hard the girl had fought to even get through the door, she figured the only way that Kagome would come back in was to be carried while complaining the entire way.

Kagome sighed and jabbed the needle through the cloth rather halfheartedly before answering, "I would have been, except someone decided it was getting too cold out there and told me I was coming in even if I had to be carried." She didn't want to tell them that she wasn't feeling well, because immediately they'd begin fussing over her and she didn't want them to worry. But still, that didn't help the throbbing in her temples that made even seeing a difficulty.

To this Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Women could be so unreasonable at times when they should just shut up and do what they were told. "Don't blame me for looking out for you. Do you want to get sick or something?"

"Of course not, but I'm going to go stir crazy while I'm waiting for my little boy to come out," Kagome retorted and stuck her tongue out at the hanyou, trying to keep up the facade of feeling well. Their banter had become something of a habit since she'd been cooped up inside, and fortunately everyone took it with good grace. _'Although he's still touchy at times. Then again, aren't all men?'_

"Little boy? Weren't you saying that it was a girl yesterday?" Inuyasha asked, arching a brow at her in amusement.

Kagome gave him a sardonic look, "That was before he decided he wanted to make his grand exit through my ribs earlier." As if reprimanding her for talking about it, the child chose that moment to give a particular hard kick to her side, making her wince and put her hand over the abused area. "See what I mean?"

When the miko took her hand away, Inuyasha stared hard at her swollen stomach and watched as it moved seemingly of its own accord. "Are they supposed to do that?" he asked, his brows furrowing in thought. He'd never seen a pregnant woman's body do _that_ before, but then again, he'd hadn't exactly made a habit of studying their stomaches either.

"Oh, aye. This one seems to be particularly active though. Usually you don't see movement like that until much later," Kaede said and looked at the young woman critically. More than once she asked if the girl was certain of her conception date, so it was pointless to ask again. However she was becoming concerned with the rate that Kagome was growing, and the activity of the child. She had the appearance of someone into their eighth month of pregnancy, not their fifth.

Kagome snorted and rubbed her stomach again, "He takes after his father, that's for sure." While she wasn't certain just who the father was, there was no way that the child was taking after her. Honestly, what sort of girl would torment their mother in such a fashion? It had to be a guy thing.

Silence descended upon the hut for several long moments before Kaede put her work down. She was about to broach an uncomfortable subject, but it couldn't be avoided forever.

"Kagome," she said, gaining the younger woman's attention, "Have you thought about what traits your child might have if Father Nightroad is indeed the father?"

To say that the question had caught Kagome by surprise was a bit of an understatement and for a moment Kagome said nothing. Truth be told, the question had been on her mind quite a bit and the few times that she'd asked Tres what he thought, he hadn't been of any help whatsoever. The only information he had on the Crusniks were that they had been genetically engineered and that none of them to date, had reproduced.

"I'm not sure," Kagome answered after a few tense moments, "There's just no precedence for it that I know of and Tres isn't being of any help. About the only thing I know for sure is that my purification abilities don't affect his kind."

"Well what do we know about him anyway, besides the sun doesn't bake him and he's got a creepy second form?" Inuyasha asked curiously. It wasn't often that they could get Kagome to talk about him anymore and asking Tres was out of the question. Perhaps the Crusnik had spoken of himself while they were off together at some point. If that was the case then it was possible that Kagome knew something important and just didn't realize it yet.

"Not much I'm afraid. The fact that he's a Crusnik is because of the nanomachines in his body. But what was he before that? I'm not exactly sure. It's the Bacillus virus that turns a human into a vampire, so..." Kagome trailed off. Her mind had already run circles around this particular question and she really hadn't come closer to finding the answer.

"So unless the nanomachines are able to be passed on, you're looking at it being a cross of whatever he was before that and human," Inuyasha replied slowly. He didn't much care for the uncertainty of the situation, that was for damned sure.

"I do not think we're looking at a cross in this instance, Inuyasha," Kaede said and looked at Kagome skeptically. While she wasn't well versed in viruses and much of what she had learned had come from Kagome, she knew that there wasn't a possibility of the child being half infected. It was an all or nothing deal, which lead her to the next question. "Ye said that these vampires fed off of blood, did ye not?" She was getting an idea of why the child was growing so quickly in addition to why Kagome was always so tired.

"Yeah, that's why Abel had to go hunting for himself every so often because regular food wasn't enough when he consistently used his second form," Kagome said quietly. She really didn't want to be speaking of the Crusnik right now, not when it meant she was being forced to consider the possibility that the child was his and she was never going to see him again.

"What are you thinking, Kaede?" Inuyasha asked carefully, curious as to where the old woman was going with her thoughts. He had his own suspicions, but he wasn't about to be the one to voice them either.

"I believe that if the child is Father Nightroad's, there are preparations that must be made," Kaede said carefully and patted Kagome limp hand, "Do not worry child, I believe we can overcome any such obstacles that this will present. But we must be prepared in the event that the child does take after him."

"Of course," Kagome replied uneasily, "I'm not even sure there's a possibility of being one or the other. Since the Methusela were originally human to begin with, once the virus is in place, that's it. It contaminates their entire body, so if my baby has it, then..."

"The child will be a vampire," Kaede finished for her. It was pretty much as she thought it would be, but had no way of knowing for sure. "It explains many things. If the child is Father Nightroad's, it's growth rate would be faster than that of a normal child because it's literally feeding off of Kagome's blood."

"I thought that's what they did anyway," Inuyasha stated, confusion lacing his voice. While he didn't know how it worked exactly, he knew that Kaede was referring to something entirely different than what he'd learned from idle conversation.

"Not quite, Inuyasha," Kagome said, knowing that she was going to have to be the one to explain this to him. She'd immediately picked up on what Kaede had said and the old woman was right. It did explain a great many things. "Normally a baby gets nutrients from the mother yes, but it's dependent on what she eats. Since a vampire feeds on blood, I think what Kaede is saying is that it's literally eating my blood,_ destroying the cells."_

Of course, that entire theory hinged on the idea that the Crusnik had more in common with a Methusela instead of a human. In the beginning, they all originated from human hosts, but afterwards? Inwardly Kagome sighed, she'd never thought to ask Abel exactly _what_ he was. Speculation was great and all, but without solid knowledge one way or another, how would they know what to expect?

"Aye, and that would explain why ye are always so tired, child. It might also explain the headaches since your body is under stress to keep up with feeding the child," Kaede said quietly, unaware of Kagome's inner turmoil. She allowed her gaze to drift once again to the young woman's expanding midsection, "It would also explain the rapid rate of growth." The only thing that she couldn't quite understand was why the virus hadn't infected Kagome as well. Somehow she doubted the miko's purification ability had anything to do with it. _'Perhaps it's because of the way it's feeding. If there is no blood returning to Kagome, then it's less likely to infect her as well.'_

"Does that mean it's coming out sooner than we thought?" Inuyasha looked horrified by the prospect. The aspect of the kid eating Kagome's blood was disturbing enough, but the possibility of her going into labor ahead of time was too much. They just weren't prepared yet and he wasn't sure that they were going to be done anytime soon. Never mind the fact that he and Tres just couldn't stand to be in each others company for very long.

"I cannot say for certain, but aye, Inuyasha. I believe that Kagome has another month, perhaps two before she delivers if the child continues growing as it is. Any longer than that and Kagome will be put at great risk during the birth," Kaede said carefully. She didn't want to alarm the girl, but death in childbirth was a very real possibility in this time. The fact that Kagome couldn't go back to her own time just made the issue that much more critical that she be observed closely. If it appeared that the pregnancy was too long, she was going to have to tell the girl they were going to have to induce labor, and pray that the child was developed enough to survive. In this instance, it was better to lose the child then both it and the mother in birthing complications.

_**End of Chapter Nineteen**_


	20. Chapter Twenty

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: It's hard to believe that this story is coming so close to being over, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when it's done lol I do have another Trinity Blood/Inuyasha crossover idea mulling around in the back of my head, I just need to put it to paper. On the bright side, this story was voted Best Crossover for the Inuyasha Fan Guild's 3rd quarter. Thank you to everyone who liked this story enough to vote for it!

_**Chapter Twenty**_

Tres stared down into the miko's pale face and gently brushed her sweat soaked bangs away, wishing that there was something he could do to make her feel better. A mere two months had passed since the argument outside the half finished house, but it seemed almost like a lifetime ago. To say that he was out of his depth was an understatement, but then again, so was everyone else.

Two weeks ago, he'd been forced to admit that Kagome needed something that none of them could provide and he'd traveled to the port to find someone willing to deliver a letter for him. It was addressed to the Vatican and he hoped that Father Nightroad would somehow manage to get it. It had been a bitter moment when he realized that without Abel there, he risked losing everything.

Even now Kagome was too weak to get out of bed and it took most of her energy just to hold a conversation now. Where only a week ago she'd been attempting to take advantage of the outdoor sun, now she didn't even ask to see it. It was a worrisome development and it had become a constant fear of his that he'd wake up one morning to find that she had died in her sleep.

Sensing his increasing worry, Kagome opened her eyes and tried to smile up at him in reassurance. The small gesture took most of her energy, but to her way of thinking it was worth it. While all she wanted to do was go back to sleep, she knew that the redhead was near frantic and she needed to calm him somehow. "What time is it, Tres?"

"Nearly evening," he said quietly and moved to take one of her hands. Her skin was exceedingly warm to the touch, a testament to the fever that had begun to plague her body. It was times like this that he was thankful that Kaede knew what to do for her, because he certainly didn't. This was beyond his limited experience and all his knowledge on human anatomy was worthless in the face of the difficulties Kagome was experiencing in her pregnancy. All he could do was try to make sure she was comfortable and make sure there was nothing she needed. "Are you hungry?"

"Thirsty," Kagome replied quietly and wished that she could actually eat like he wanted her to. Unfortunately the effort that it took was too exhausting and most of the time it didn't stay down anyway. Whoever had termed it morning sickness had to be demented, because it struck during any part of the day it felt like. And the faint hope that she had avoided that particular affliction since it hadn't happened in the first trimester had been shattered like an ant under the fist of an angry God.

"I'll get you some broth," Tres replied and moved away from her side to fill a small bowl with the clear liquid. While it wasn't much, it was better than nothing and it was his hope that the herbs it contained would help her fight the fever off again. Already they'd stripped the blanket's off of her to help bring her temperature down, and there wasn't much more that they could do, aside from let the herbs do their job.

Seeing the redhead return, Kagome tried to push herself into a sitting position so that she could drink the broth, but her arms shook under the strain of her weight and the sudden change in position left her lightheaded. She was just about to lay back down to avoid the possibility of passing out when she sensed the man beside her begin move.

"Allow me to help you," Tres said quietly and set the bowl off to the side. Carefully he pulled the girl into a sitting position before settling in behind her. He could tell the moment that her face drained of color that the shift in position had been too abrupt and she wouldn't be able to sit up on her own. It was telling that she said nothing to protest his actions, when at one point she would have grown angry at the mere thought that she needed help. But now she took his aid with a quiet resignation and he missed that spark of indignation she had so openly displayed in the past. Once she was leaning against his chest, he picked the bowl up again and helped bring it to her lips. For the briefest of moments he saw the look on her face told him that she disliked being fed, but he knew that it was necessary. It was enough that she had enough fire left to even show that much; it was better than nothing at all.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered when he took the bowl away. As humiliating as it was to have to be tended like this, she was just grateful that he was even willing to do it. As hard as she tried, there were some things she just couldn't manage herself anymore and asking for help made her uncomfortable. While she knew that the others would do whatever she asked, it made them worried and anxious. True to his nature, Inuyasha had snapped at her on more than one occasion when she'd somehow dropped a bowl or a cup before. He'd felt sorry for it immediately afterwards, but that didn't take the sting of his words away, or the bitter feeling that they left behind because it only enforced the idea that she was helpless at the moment. That, more than anything else, was a feeling that she detested with every fiber of her being.

A few moments later, Inuyasha walked into the room and he immediately took in Kagome's appearance and a look of concern crossed his face. She didn't seem to be any better than she had been the day before, but not any worse either which was a blessing. But for how long she'd remain like that? None of them could begin to speculate. He'd been hoping that the new herbs that Kaede had given her would be doing some good, but it seemed that their effect was limited at best.

"How are ya feeling?" he asked at last, looking her over critically. He noted that she was eating at least, which was in improvement from earlier when they couldn't even wake her up to have lunch.

"I'm doing alright, Inuyasha. I'm just a little tired," Kagome replied, not wanting to worry him any further than he already was. Now that she'd drank part of the broth, she found her eyelids getting heavy again and it was only a matter of time before she nodded off. As much as she'd like to spend time talking with the two men, she knew it wasn't going to happen.

"Why don't you get some sleep then," Inuyasha said quietly and then looked at the redhead behind her, "Come outside with me, Tres; I need your opinion on something."

In spite of the carefully worded order, Tres' expression never changed and he made no attempt to move. He'd just come in from working on the house, and he was loath to leave again so soon, even if the miko was already closing her eyes. While moving her was unlikely to really wake her up, he didn't want to disturb her either.

Seeing the man's reluctance, Inuyasha sighed, "It won't take long, okay? Then you can come back in, we're done on the house for the day." While he could probably say what he had to say with Tres where he was, he didn't want to have this conversation in front of Kagome anyway. If nothing else, it would get her worked up when she should be resting as much as possible.

"I'll return soon," Tres whispered against Kagome's temple and then helped to ease her back against the futon. Once he was sure that she was as comfortable as possible, he stood and followed the hanyou outside. To his surprise, the other man didn't stop on the other side, but continued a short distance away. Only once they'd stopped did he confront the hanyou. "What did you wish to say that couldn't be said inside?"

"I've been talking with Kaede and I know that you're not going to like what I have to say, but we're running out of options. At the rate Kagome is going, she's not going to survive the delivery and there's not a damned thing that _we _can do about it," Inuyasha said bitterly. Every option that they could think of had been exhausted and now all they were doing was watch her wither away.

"The herbs," Tres said, but was quickly cut off before he could finish his sentence.

"Are doing nothing, but buying her a few weeks at most," Inuyasha said abruptly, "look it's touching that you want to be the one that does everything for her, but we're out of ideas. I need to know where to find Nightroad. It's a long shot, but since he's one of these damned vampires, he might know how to save her."

"You intend to go after him?" Tres asked, although he kept the surprise from entering his voice. While he couldn't say he liked the hanyou's idea, he had to admit that it had merit. Besides, wasn't that his own intention when he'd sent the letter? There was no point in arguing, not when it was obvious that it needed to be done. While he'd never concerned himself with a Methusela's biology beyond how to kill them quickly, Father Nightroad would be quite familiar with it, assuming thats where this problem was coming from. His own knowledge of the genetics behind the Crusnik project was woefully lacking and the only person who could answer those questions was over a thousand miles away.

"We don't have a choice and I'm the only one suited to going anyway. It'd take you months to get there and that's time we don't have. At least I have half a chance in hell of getting there in time and dragging his ass back. If he can't help her, then we'll try and come up with something else, but we have to do something," Inuyasha said, almost daring the redhead to contradict him. His fists were clenched in preparation of knocking some sense into the priest, but to his surprise it wasn't necessary.

"Fine, what will you need? Maps?" Tres asked quietly. While he didn't have any world maps with him, he was certain that some could be acquired at the port. Even though they wouldn't be 100% accurate, they'd be more than suitable for what Inuyasha needed.

"I was more thinking about an idea of where he's at and if I'm going to need to break in somewhere to find him. I doubt your officials would appreciate it if I took the wind scar to their precious buildings," Inuyasha said with a snort. Yet if that's what it came down to, he'd be more than happy to do so. No one was going to stand in his way of finding the Crusnik.

"I would not search for him directly at the Vatican. Times are too dissimilar from where we came and he would not be able to fit in. However, I believe that he will be found in the general area. Being so close to what he considered home has given him a measure of peace," Tres replied after a moment of thought. If he was being truthful with himself, that peace that Father Nightroad had found was all too fleeting and often times he could feel the Crusnik's grief and regret behind the bond. In some ways, it seemed like Kagome was handling her emotions better than his partner and for that, he felt a small amount of compassion towards the man. They'd been through much in their friendship, and there was no denying that he was a direct cause of the other man's unhappiness.

"Figures," Inuyasha said with a snort, "he's not going to make this easy on us, is he? So am I going to run into problems going through the city or are they used to demons in this time?" The less hassle he had to deal with the better and already he could imagine the hell that would be raised over a hanyou walking through the city.

"Concealment would be the best option. Even in this time, demons are rarely documented and those that are, are subjected to exorcisms. If the inquisition should capture you..." Tres trailed off and gave the hanyou a meaningful look. While there was a chance that Inuyasha would be able to escape, he wasn't about to wager on his odds. Especially when one considered that miko's weren't the only humans with holy abilities.

"Great, I'm back to wearing a hat then," Inuyasha muttered beneath his breath. He had no doubts about his abilities to handle whatever the humans could throw at him, however, it would mean a delay in finding the Crusnik and he didn't have the time to fuck around.

Tres looked back to the hut for a moment, before turning back to Inuyasha, "When will you depart?"

"Tonight. I've already talked to Sango and I'll be taking Kirara with me. We'll cover more ground that way," Inuyasha said quietly. Sango had even offered to go with him to help with the search, but he had to decline. He'd be pushing himself as hard as he could to get back in time and Sango might be needed here anyway. She'd been instrumental in keeping Kagome's spirits up in the face of how bleak the future was looking.

Tres merely nodded, he expected as much. Now that the decision had been made he was surprised that Inuyasha hadn't left already. "Are you going to inform Kagome that your leaving?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice. If we don't, she's going to wonder where I went," Inuyasha said unhappily, "this isn't something we'd be able to keep a secret for long." That very question had been something that both he and Kaede had agonized over. They didn't want Kagome thinking that they were dragging Abel back against his will, even if that's what was going to happen, because Kagome would beat herself up over it. Yet, they didn't want her thinking that one of her constant companions had up and vanished for no reason either. It was treading a fine line of what was best for her, and in the end, they realized that they were going to have to tell her.

"Then you should do so soon," Tres replied and began walking back to the hut with Inuyasha at his side. Kagome might well be asleep, but she'd probably wake up enough for this.

That was the last thing Inuyasha had expected to hear him say. He'd expected more of an argument, throughout the entire conversation really and Tres had managed to surprise him. Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest as he walked beside the redhead, "What changed? I'm surprised you aren't pitching more of a fit."

"Kagome's welfare comes before my own and this is something that I cannot resolve for her. If having Father Nightroad return will help her, I will not stop you," Tres said, his voice completely devoid of emotion. No, he wasn't happy, but if it came between sharing her with his partner, or neither of them having her at all, it was a clear choice. For her, he would do this.

"Good to see you've figured it out," Inuyasha said, just before he pushed the mat aside. Immediately his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he scowled down at the woman on the futon, "I thought you were going to be sleeping."

"Can't, not until you tell me what's going on," Kagome said, fighting back the yawn that wanted to break free. It would have been entirely too easy to go ahead and succumb to the sleep she so desperately needed, but she knew that something important was about to happen; she just wasn't sure what. There had been no mistaking the firm determination coming through the bond whenever she focused on Tres and it seemed he had come to some sort of decision.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly and knelt down beside her, "I came to tell you that I'm going to be gone for a few weeks, but I'll be back soon alright?" He just hoped that it didn't take any longer than that. The length of the boat trip if nothing else would depend on the weather. After that, it didn't much matter since he and Kirara could push through anything short of a blizzard.

Although it hadn't been said, there was only one thing that she knew of that would send Inuyasha off at this point in time. "You're going after him, aren't you?"

"Yeah. We need to know if there's anything else we can do to help you and he's the only one that might have the answers," Inuyasha said and waited to see what her reaction would be. If she was thinking clearly, she wouldn't fight him on this subject since she had to realize just how precarious the situation was. Even if she wouldn't think of herself, she would think of the child she was carrying.

For a moment Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep shuddering breath. While she didn't like the fact that Inuyasha was likely to drag the man back by his hair if he had to, she no longer had the strength to argue. If Abel wanted to help, she would be grateful and if he wanted to leave immediately afterwards... she'd deal with that when the time came. "Do you think you can?"

"Yeah, don't worry about that. I'll find him for you," Inuyasha replied. Failure was not an option at this point. The fact that he'd spent so much time with the Crusnik could only help their cause and even if the man had changed his attire, there was no way that he could change his scent or energy signature. "Just try and hold on while I'm gone, alright?"

To this Kagome smiled weakly and nodded, "I'm not giving up yet, Inuyasha. And... thank you, for everything." For the first time in months, she felt as if a burden had been removed from her shoulders and while she didn't know how long it would last, she would savor every last moment of the relief she'd been given.

"Don't mention it... and don't start crying either," Inuyasha said, his brows furrowing when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes. They'd seen far too much of them lately. Nowit was time to fix the problem so she wouldn't have a reason to cry anymore. "I'll be back soon, so don't give up."

Kagome nodded once and watched Inuyasha walk out the door without saying another word. Now she was alone with Tres again, but she was hesitant to look over at him. She knew that he wasn't happy, but he'd held his peace and she knew that it was to avoid upsetting her. "Thank you too, Tres. I know this must be hard for you."

Tres inclined his head in surprise and then moved to sit near her. "It is the best course of action," he said with the slightest shrug of his shoulders. The choice had been made and he knew it was the correct one; it wasn't something he was going to dwell on if he could help it.

"I know... But, I'm also aware that you're not happy about him coming back and... I'm grateful that you're willing to put your differences aside for me," Kagome said quietly when he took her hand in his, "You know, I don't blame you for what happened."

The statement had Tres looking down at her in concern. "Why would you?"

"I knew, Tres," Kagome said and held onto his hand tighter so that he couldn't pull it away, "I don't know how I knew, but eventually I realized that Abel wouldn't have left without a reason. Maybe it's because I can feel him more strongly than you do, but once I reached out to him again, I figured it out. He never wanted to leave, but he felt that he had to so that you could be happy. And... you knew that he was leaving, even if you never said anything."

That realization had hurt as much as the day that Abel had left, and for a while, she wanted to blame him for causing her and Abel such pain, but she couldn't. It had taken her remembering how she'd felt when Inuyasha couldn't choose between her and Kikyo to do it though. The memories of the pain and self loathing returned, and she remembered how she never felt good enough. In the end, she supposed, that was how Tres must have felt when the woman he'd given his entire life up for couldn't devote herself just to him. Only then had she been able to put aside the anger that she'd felt and begin to forgive the man at her side for what he had done.

The revelation left Tres unsure of what to say. He'd done more than his share of lying to her over the past six months, but he couldn't bring himself to deny it. "I see," he said at last and looked away from her, not wanting to see the hint of condemnation that he was sure would be lurking in her eyes. Surely even though she held no anger towards him now, she had to at least feel something akin to betrayal because of his actions. But when he stole a glance over at her, he was surprised to see none of those emotions lurking there.

It was times like now that he wondered how she could be so forgiving when she'd been hurt so badly. Guilt wasn't an emotion he was used to feeling, but he was becoming quite familiar with it now. If his partner had remained, would this have happened? No, if he was to be honest with himself, he was the reason that Abel was gone. He was the reason that Kagome was wasting away, being devoured by a child that knew not what it was doing.

"Are you going to be okay with this?" Kagome asked, concern lacing her voice. In her heart she was certain that the Crusnik would want to stay, but only if Tres could come to accept it. Yet if he couldn't, she knew that Abel would withdraw again even if if wasn't all the way back to Rome. Most likely he'd stay in the area to be a part of his child's life if nothing else, but she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to endure that. To have him near, but unable to be as close as they once were would be torture.

"Positive," Tres replied without hesitation. Even though he wasn't entirely sure of himself, he would try for her. Just the thought of the Crusnik returning had brightened her mood considerably and he would not take that from her. Only time would tell how this would work out for the three of them and much he knew, would depend on Abel. He wanted to see for himself just how his partner had weathered the past five months without Kagome by his side.

"Good," Kagome said and closed her eyes, "I'm glad." Although she'd sensed his uncertainty, it was a start and for the moment, it was good enough for her.

_~On The Coast~_

Inuyasha stared at the only boat on the port with an expression of disgust. He hated ships, he truly did, but there was no getting around the fact that they'd be needing one for this trip. There was just no way that Kirara could fly that far without stopping and unless they lucked out and came across an island midway, they would be in trouble.

Heaving a deep sigh, Inuyasha stalked towards the man that he believed to be the captain of the ship and wrinkled his nose in disgust. The putrid stench of alcohol and seawater covered the man, and Inuyasha was willing to bet that the guy hadn't seen a pool of fresh water to bathe in at least a year.

"Hey, old man," he said, gaining the other male's attention, "When do you set sail?" He only hoped that it would be sometime soon and that he wouldn't spend too much time waiting around for the drunkard to get off his ass.

"Set sail?" The captain looked at the hanyou in surprise, "We just pulled into port an hour ago. We'll not be setting sail for at least another week. Restocking supplies and all."

"A week? I don't have that long to wait, old man. What's it gonna take to get you to move your schedule up a few days?" Inuyasha asked in irritation. He'd be damned if he was going to hang around this port for that long while he waited for the man to restock his ship.

The captain gave a bark of laughter, "Move my schedule up? I'm afraid that won't be happening. The crew needs rest too. I'd be having a mutiny on my hands if I told them we'd be pulling out so soon. You should have gotten here earlier in the morning, you might have caught a ride on Tamaki's ship. They're going to the mainland."

The scowl on Inuyasha's face deepened considerably. "This morning? How long ago did they leave?" It was early evening now, but depending on how long the ship had been traveling, there was a chance that Kirara might be able to catch up to it. They'd just have to hurry and pray that nothing went wrong.

"Eh? Just before noon I'd say, not like it makes a difference to you. The ship's already gone and if you're wanting a ride to the continent, you'll be waiting a week and paying a fare, just like everyone else who wants to get off this here chunk of land," the captain replied with a crooked grin. In the hanyou he saw a perfect money making opportunity. _'He seems desperate enough o go. If he's still lookin' for a ride, I'd be willing to bet he'll pay double the fare. It's only right, him being a half demon and all.'_

"Kirara," Inuyasha looked down at the small fire cat sitting at his feet, "What do you think? Can we make it?" If anyone could gage wind speeds, it would be her. He wasn't going to ask her to fly him over the open ocean, not without being certain of their chances of reaching the ship. The main thing that would go in their favor would be that they'd be traveling along the coastline until they could reach the sea of Japan. If by some chance they couldn't find the ship, they'd be able to rest wherever they wished and possibly, find another port elsewhere.

Kirara immediately changed into her larger form, causing the old sea captain to take a step back in surprise. Wasting no time, she scented the breeze to gage how fast it was moving before bumping the hanyou in the side.

It was a clear order to mount if ever he saw one. Quickly he climbed onto the fire cat's back and held on while she launched herself into the air. For better or worse, they were on their way to bring the Crusnik back.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Yes, I'm well aware that these chapters are shorter than the others. The story is winding down and if I were to combine it all into one chapter to keep the lengths consistent, the story would be over by now. I have to say, I'm rather sad to see this story so close to being over.

At any rate, this is my Christmas present to you all. This should answer a few of the questions that people posed about Abel and the bond. Merry Christmas everyone :)

_**Chapter Twenty One**_

Father Nightroad looked at the letter that he'd received earlier that day and clenched his fists. Now he knew why he'd been getting the feeling that something was terribly wrong with Kagome, even if he hadn't known what. Denial played a large part in why he hadn't acted before now, his belief in Tres' abilities to care for her blinding him to the truth. _'How could I have been so damned blind to what was going on? It's inexcusable!'_

It was only by chance that he'd even managed to get the letter in the first place and that was because he'd somehow managed to befriend some of the nuns in the Vatican. Although they knew nothing of his past or what he was, they'd welcomed him as a friend, even if he hadn't revealed to them that he too, was a priest of the highest order. So when his name had been spotted on an envelope, one of the women had come to him immediately.

"Is it terrible news, Mr. Nightroad?" Sister Agnes asked uncertainly. She'd never seen that particular expression cross his face before and she feared that someone close to him might have died. Even the way his hands trembled spoke of a grief that was barely being contained.

"I have to return home," Abel replied solemnly and glanced at the crumpled paper again. That Tres had bothered to write him in the first place was telling enough and the words that were on the page were enough to make his blood run cold. _'I'm going to be a father, and I never let her get the words out to tell me. Dear God, what have I done?'_

"I thought Rome was your home," Sister Agnes said in confusion. He seemed to know his way around the city well enough after all, and his accent wasn't foreign like that of so many of the travelers that came through their doors.

"At one time it was, long ago. But then I stayed in Japan briefly and met someone, but if I would have stayed there, it would have only brought her pain. I had to leave so that she could be happy," Father Nightroad said quietly, "But now... I have to return and pray that I get there in time. I can't let her die, not if I can stop it."

"Oh how terrible," Sister Agnes said and looked sympathetically at the man. That foreigners weren't often welcomed in that part of the world was immaterial. To her way of thinking, the man standing before her was incapable of lying which could only mean he'd established important connections during his travels. Beyond that though, she knew that it was sometimes difficult to give up someone in order for them to be happy, but to do so showed how much they indeed cared. That he was still willing to go back now, in her time of need was touching and she hoped that he would succeed. "Will you be leaving soon then?"

"Within the hour," Abel said and smoothed out the crumpled edges of the paper. _'If only I had known, this could have been avoided. I'm so sorry, Kagome. I failed you yet again and didn't even realize it.' _Quickly he looked around the small room that he'd taken up residence in. There was nothing of value there, save for his clothing. The rest could be replaced easily enough so he wouldn't bother packing any of it. Traveling lightly was his only option and added baggage would only hold him back.

"I see, shall I arrange transportation for you then?" Sister Agnes asked quickly. The path to Japan was a long and dangerous one. Most of it could be traversed on foot, but it would take far too long. A carriage would suit him nicely though and if she could aid him in any way, she would.

"Yes, please do, Sister. If you could, find the fastest horse that you can. It's imperative that I get there quickly," he replied and reached into a small container on the dresser for the money to purchase an animal that would be suited to his needs. While he didn't have much, what he did have would be enough to cover the expense. During his short stay, he hadn't led an extravagant life by any means and what money he had managed to acquire had been set aside in case of an emergency. Quickly he handed it to her without bothering to count it out. It didn't matter to him if it took every last coin there, it was that important.

"I'll try to hurry, Mr. Nightroad," Sister Agnes replied quickly and hurried out the door. Normally they were not to interfere in the lives of others, devoting themselves only to God, but she knew that the silver haired man needed as much help as he could get. Her fingers tightened around the money in her hand and she ran faster, straight to the stables that would have exactly what she was looking for.

While the woman dashed off, Abel set about to grabbing his clothes and stuffing them in a small travel bag. These were the only things he couldn't replace easily as he had to have them tailored to fit him. Of course, the tailor _had _looked at him strangely when he asked if he could replicate the outfit he'd brought with him, without the religious symbols on them. While he hadn't forsaken his faith, wearing them so openly left him open to questions that he could not answer. In the end it was best to have them removed, just to prevent those inquiries. He couldn't afford to arouse any suspicions about himself.

With that finished, now all that was left was to wait for Sister Agnes' return and think about what awaited him back in Japan. It had been hell these past four months trying to forget about the girl and it was safe to say, that had been a complete failure. He'd constantly wondered if he'd done the right thing and when her grief didn't subside, he'd known he made the wrong choice. But it had been too late to right the wrong, especially seeing as he knew that for the first time since they'd left their own time that had been the only time he'd truly been happy.

All that had changed though when he became aware of Kagome's declining health, even if he wasn't sure of the reason why. At first he'd attributed it to the season, but as spring had approached and it only got worse, he had to reconsider. Now it was all to clear what had gone wrong._ 'I should have never left. Forgive me, Tres, but this is one time that you'll have to put your personal feelings aside. I won't leave her again.'_

Deciding that he could wait just as easily outside, Father Nightroad picked up the small bag and strode out into the hallway. The people he walked by stared in surprise, but he paid them no mind. He'd never told them how long he intended to remain, he had made no promises. At least not to them anyway.

The sunlight struck him harshly the moment he stepped outside, but he didn't flinch away from it. Instead he gazed about the great city that was Rome, taking in it's appearance one last time. He understood that the moment he had packed his bag that he would never return again._'The past is just that, and that's where it shall remain. I have to start looking towards the future and embrace what I've been given instead of looking back and wondering what might have been.'_

"It's a shame that you're leaving us so soon, Mr. Nightroad," the innkeeper stated quietly. She'd seen the look on the man's face and knew that something terrible had happened. "I'd wondered why Sister Agnes ran off so suddenly. I tried to ask her where she was going, but all I got was something about needing a horse."

"Yes, I'm afraid that I must continue my travels, Mrs. Baratti. Sister Agnes went to purchase a horse, as it's rather important that I get on the road tonight," Father Nightroad replied apologetically. The older woman had been generous in allowing him to stay and had he more time he would have sought her out personally to thank her. But instead she'd come to him, "I must thank you for making my stay so enjoyable. I'm sorry to be running off on such short notice."

"You're going back to the one you lost, aren't you?" Mrs. Baratti said with a knowing smile. There were few things that could get a man moving as quickly as what this particular male was doing, and a woman was one of them.

"How... how did you know?" Abel asked curiously while wishing that Sister Agnes would hurry. But there was no sign of her through the throngs of people walking past the entrance to the inn. He'd never spoken of Kagome to anyone even though she had become such a large part of his life, as painful as it was.

"I know the look, young one. The day you came here I could tell that you were missing someone and it was obvious she wasn't with you. A girl like that has to be important if you're ready to rush off like you are," Mrs. Baratti explained with a wave of her hand, "Do yourself a favor and don't let her go this time, Abel. Life's too short to be indecisive. The next time she might not be there to return to."

"I know," Abel replied quietly, taking her words to heart, "Don't worry. I won't let her slip through my fingers again." Fate wasn't so kind as to offer many second chances and this one he intended to take advantage of. His resolve strengthened and he knew that no matter what happened, things were going to turn out for the better. For all of them.

Suddenly the sound of hoof beats reached his ears and a wave of relief swept through him at seeing Sister Agnes leading a tall bay mare. The animal looked to be not only strong but fast which suited his needs perfectly. As soon as she pulled the animal into an area free of people, he stepped forward.

"Thank you for your help, Sister Agnes, you have my gratitude," he said genuinely and took the reins from her hand.

"You're welcome, Mr. Nightroad. I'd give you your change, but I'm afraid there wasn't any," she replied regretfully. It had been difficult to get the man to part with his best horse and the cost had been high, but she knew that there wasn't time to negotiate the cost down.

Father Nightroad shook his head, "I expected as much. Don't worry about it, you did well."

Sister Agnes and Mrs. Baratti watched as he tied the small bag to the horses saddle and mounted up. Each of them took an uneasy step back when the horse fidgeted and the man grabbed at the reins. Identical thoughts crossed both of their minds as they wondered if he'd even been on a horse before.

"Be careful!" Sister Agnes called as he seemed to get himself situated comfortably in the saddle.

"Thank you both, for everything," Abel said before he urged the mare into a trot. He couldn't go much faster through the crowd, not unless he wanted to run someone over. Fortunately he wasn't deep within the city and within a matter of minutes, he passed through the outer wall. Only then did he let the mare have her head and they darted out across the open ground.

Eventually he knew that the animal would tire and they'd have to rest, but for now he wasn't about to slow in his headlong dash back to Kagome's side. He'd deal with the need for sleep later, after he'd closed the distance between himself and his destination.

_~Elsewhere~_

It had been nearly sixteen days since they'd managed to catch up to the ship and only four since they'd managed to step foot onto the main land. By day Inuyasha ran while carrying a sleeping Kirara in the folds of his haori and by night, she carried him through the darkened skies. It was the quickest way that they knew to travel and the only time they stopped was when it became necessary to eat. By now each of them were thoroughly sick of traveling, but still they pushed on. To anyone else, they were making excellent time but neither of them were content with the progress they'd made. They needed to be even further along than they were, Kagome's life depended on it.

In fact it was nighttime now, and Inuyasha couldn't see shit in front of him, so he was relying on Kirara's superior sight. It had been hard to keep track of exactly where the hell they'd been going and getting directions wasn't exactly the easiest task in the world. He'd been rather annoyed to find that very few people on the mainland spoke Japanese, and the only other language that he knew in any small part was some archaic form of English that was different than what Kagome had managed to teach him. But those words were not nearly enough to get him through and it was less than helpful given the people they generally ran into.

Nor was there any sign of a large city nearby, which led Inuyasha to believe they still had a long distance to travel. He just hoped that Kagome was still hanging on, because this was taking longer than he'd anticipated. When Kagome had said that the mainland was many times larger than Japan, he'd had a hard time imagining it, but now, now he saw all too clearly how right she'd been.

_'Just how much longer are we going to have to search?' _He thought irritably, and tried to see though the darkness. The fact that the moon was nearly gone didn't help matters at all and he'd knew it would only be a few days before his human night was upon him. _'Good thing Kirara's taking the night shift, otherwise we wouldn't be making shit for time.' _The breeze that had been caressing his face suddenly switched directions, bringing the acrid scent of smoke to his nose.

"What the hell?" he muttered and looked in the direction the scent was coming from. In all this time they hadn't come across one person camping out. It had all been extremely small towns, if they could be called that where the people were harder than hell to understand.

"Tch, probably some other bastard that has no business being out here, but has no choice," Inuyasha snorted and prepared to ignore the fact that they weren't as alone as he'd first thought. But when Kirara abruptly switched directions he blinked in surprise, "What are you doing? Tthe damned city is the other way."

In response Kirara shook her head and continued in the new path. She'd picked up on a scent that if Inuyasha had been paying attention, he would have noticed too. She, for one, was grateful that they weren't going to have to continue the trek to Rome and once Inuyasha realized who she had found, he would be as well. To that end, she endured the hanyou's muttered curses and except for the twitch of her ears, ignored him.

Suddenly the soft glow of a campfire came into view, nestled in between several large boulders that shielded the camp's occupant from the wind. A horse neighed in fear upon scenting Kirara's approach and moment's later hoof beats could be heard heading in the opposite direction.

"Good going, Kirara. That person's gonna be pissed when they have to go and track their horse down in the dark," Inuyasha said with a snort and crossed his arms. It really wasn't much of a concern to him though, so long as they got back on track and weren't asked to help track the beast down. _'Hell, maybe we'll get lucky and this person can tell us whether we're even going in the right direction.'_

However the muffled curse that echoed through the darkness had his eyes widening in surprise. _'No fucking way!' _What were the chances they'd come out all this way only to run across their quarry camping out on this god forsaken stretch of desert? Yet that's exactly what seemed to have happened and now that they were almost upon the man, the Crusnik's scent was like a slap to the face.

"Bastard," Inuyasha growled and launched himself off of Kirara's back. He smirked in satisfaction when the man turned just in time to see the punch coming and he was pleased he he smelled the metallic scent of blood fill the air. "Stand up, priest. I'm going to beat your ass and then drag your half dead corpse back to Japan so you can finish what you started."

Father Nightroad stood up and wiped the blood from his lips, but he made no move to defend himself from the advancing hanyou. "I see you found me, Inuyasha." To see the half demon standing before him wasn't a great surprise, if the roles had been reversed, he would have done the same thing.

"Surprised, asshole? Did you think that I wouldn't catch up to you sooner or later? I'd like nothing more than to tear you limb from limb, but lucky for you, I need you alive," Inuyasha growled and cracked his knuckles. This was the perfect battle ground to have it out. The open stretch of land ensured that there was be no destruction of anything important and there was no one around to stop them. By the time he was finished with the Crusnik, he wouldn't be in any condition to object to going back. If Abel was lucky he'd be conscious enough to know he was being slung over Kirara's back like a sack of clothing.

"I know you do, why do you think I was already returning?" Abel replied testily. He'd already accepted that he was deserving of the hanyou's anger, as well as the punch that he'd already been dealt. In all honesty, he knew that he deserved far more than what he'd been given. But was there a point to beating each other bloody when it would only delay getting back to Kagome?

"Returning? Doesn't look that way to me, you're a little too far north for that," Inuyasha said with a snort of derision and then paused. "Wait a minute. What is it that you think you know?"

"Tres sent me a letter and I got it almost a week ago, Inuyasha. I'm well aware of what's going on and why you are here. As far as me being too far north, I'd say you're mistaken. This is the trading route to China, I'd say it's you that went off course," Abel replied warily, waiting to see what the hanyou would say to that.

"He sent you a letter? Why the fuck didn't he tell me that?" Inuyasha swore, his eyes narrowed in further irritation. If he'd known that much he would have been watching for the Crusnik instead of looking for a damned city. They could have passed right by him and never known if they hadn't smelled the fire he had going. He could have imagined the hell he would have gone through then, hunting through a city in which their prey had already escaped from. _'Dammit, I'm going to kick his ass when we get back.'_

"You'd have to ask Tres that," Father Nightroad said and looked off into the darkness. The horse was long gone of course, not that it would have been able to keep up with Kirara for long. "I was going to start traveling again in the morning, but if you're here it means we don't have time for that."

"Damned right we don't. I've wasted enough time looking for you, there's no telling how bad things are back home now," Inuyasha said and kicked dirt over the fire to put it out. It would be a strain on Kirara to carry them double, but it couldn't be helped. What was going to suck was the fact that their traveling time would be cut in half, unless Father Nightroad gave up the pretense of being human and used his Crusnik form because Kirara still needed to rest during the day.

Quickly Father Nightroad gathered up his bag and waited for Inuyasha to climb on Kirara's back. Once the hanyou was firmly in place, he slid in behind him and waited for the cat to take to the air again.

"Tell me the truth, Inuyasha. How bad is it? Tres wasn't exactly descriptive in his letter," Abel asked quietly. While he could feel her through the bond, he also knew that Kagome had learned in part how to minimize how strongly he and Tres could feel her. He needed to know just how much she was hiding so that he could be prepared for what awaited them once they got back to Japan. While he'd seen the damage done to humans carrying a vampire's offspring before and knew that it wasn't pretty, it was highly unlikely that Kagome was dealing with that problem. After all, he wasn't exactly a vampire.

"It's not good. She's been bedridden for weeks now and can barely eat. What little energy she has is being destroyed by the fever," Inuyasha replied solemnly. Now that he knew that the Crusnik was aware of the situation, it took some of the burden off of his shoulders. "You know what it's doing to her right?"

"I do," Abel replied uneasily, "In the beginning, humans volunteered themselves for the experiments with the Bacillus virus and the nanomachines. However, once they learned what would happen, the ones in charge decided to force the issue and it was no longer a voluntary program. Hundreds died before they figured out that most humans weren't strong enough to bear a child infected with the virus." And none had survived the implantation of the nanomachines. It had only been once the people in charge decided to start with test tube embryos that they had any measure of success, and then, it was only the four of them that had survived.

"Obviously they found a way, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Mind telling me how to stop this thing from killing her?" Inuyasha snapped impatiently. He really didn't care for the history of the Methusela. He just wanted to know what they'd need to do in order to save Kagome.

Hearing his child referred to as a thing had Abel's eyes narrowing in anger, but he didn't comment. It figured that even Inuyasha would consider it as something less than desirable, considering what it was doing to its mother. "If she were carrying a vampire's child, it would need the energy of another vampire nearby to repress it. Otherwise it would continue to feed unchecked and the mother would weaken to the point where it would kill her," he said, not bothering to hold back in the slightest.

"What do you mean if? This kid certainly isn't a human, not with what it's doing to her," Inuyasha said with a scoff. He wasn't sure if this was some ploy by the man to say the kid wasn't his, but he wasn't about to stand by for that one.

"It could be nothing else, unless the nanomachines managed to pass themselves along to the child," Father Nightroad replied warily. Was such a thing even possible? He couldn't say for sure, but something told him that they had to consider the possibility with the way that Inuyasha was reacting.

"But I thought you were an enhanced vampire," Inuyasha said uneasily. He wasn't sure that he liked the way the conversation was going. If the idiot was right, then there was the distinct possibility that Kagome's illness was something that even Nightroad wouldn't be able to fix.

"I was a human before I became anything else," Father Nightroad said quietly, still pondering the possibilities of what this child could be. Theoretically his child would be human, but since he'd fused with the nanomachines at one hundred percent during his ressurection, nothing could be certain.

"Shit," Inuyasha swore under his breath before continuing, "Say these things in you managed to pass themselves on to your kid. Would it act the same way as a vampire would?"

The question made Abel pause before answering. He'd never attempted to feed on a human himself and in fact, he'd never had the urge to. Yet there was still the fact that blood was blood, which was the only reason he'd been able to subsist on demons for as long as he had. Assuming that his child had the nanomachines, would he or she do more damage to Kagome's body than would occur normally? He had to admit that it was a very real possibility, "Most likely, in which case Kagome would suffer in the same way that a human would when carrying a vampire's offspring."

"So if that's what's going on, will you be able to stop that from happening?" Inuyasha asked and then held his breath while waiting for an answer. He didn't want to believe that he came all this way, just to bring the man back to say his final goodbyes.

"If it's God's will, then yes," Father Nightroad whispered, hoping that was indeed the case. That he'd be able to do anything to stop Kagome's death was a slim one, if she was as far gone as what Inuyasha had said. But he had to hold out hope and he knew that Kagome was inherently strong, both in her will and her body. That alone is probably what had kept her alive for this long. Most pregnancies never survived past the first trimester when the mother was carrying vampiric offspring.

"You'd better be able to do something, Priest. I refuse to let Kagome die because of something you two idiots did to her," Inuyasha muttered, knowing that his warning was clear and understood. Should they lose Kagome, he'd destroy the both of them, or die in the attempt. That much was a promise he'd already made to her, even if she'd never heard him speak the words.

_**End of Chapter Twenty One**_


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

_**Chapter Twenty Two**_

Kagome stared tiredly towards the door and then back to the redhead that had been her near constant companion since Inuyasha had left. Every day she woke up with the hopes that he would be back and that Abel would be with him, yet time after time she would only be greeted with disappointment.

Still, she refused to give up hope that they would arrive soon and tried not to allow her spirits to sink too far, but it was far from easy. Weakly she tried to sit up and, when Tres moved to assist her, gave him a grateful smile. As usual, he took up a position behind her so that she could be pillowed comfortably against his chest and the warm embrace of his arm wrapped around her helped to sooth her immensely.

For a while she laid there and listened to the sound of his breathing, content to just sit there in silence. She knew that he wasn't about to complain, not when their time alone was so infrequent now. There was almost constantly someone coming in and out of the hut to check on her, whether it was one of her friends or one of the villagers who had taken it upon themselves to look after her as well. _'Everyone is being so sweet, but I just want this over with. I'm so darned tired.'_

It was all so touching really, and to her surprise, several of the men had picked up construction of the house where Inuyasha had left off. Tres went to help occasionally, but most of his time was now spent in here with her and she wasn't about to complain. Slowly though, a sense of anticipation started to build and she began to wonder if today would be the day that Abel and Inuyasha would return. Closing her eyes, she tried to feel for the Crusnik through the bond, but she just didn't have the energy to make the connection. In fact, she couldn't even feel Tres anymore unless he was touching her and that was a development that consumed her with worry. If she had become that weak, just how much longer did she have before her body gave out completely?

Finally she just couldn't take it anymore and she looked up into Tres' eyes, "Do you.. think we could go outside for a little while?" The circle that he thoughts had begun to take were bordering on unbearable and she needed something to take her mind off of how dire the situation had become. Perhaps it was just the fact that she'd been trapped in the hut for so long and the fresh air would be a welcome change.

"Negative, you are not well enough to leave the hut," Tres replied and held her closer, knowing that she wasn't likely to accept his answer. He knew why she'd asked, and he could sense exactly what she was feeling but he wasn't going to voice it just yet. If only she had a bit more strength and energy, she'd be able to sense just how close their friends were. But he wouldn't mention it, not yet anyway. To do so would only excite her into expending energy that she couldn't afford to waste.

"I'm not asking to walk, I just... I want to feel the sun on my face, even if it's only for a few minutes," Kagome said, trying not to sound like a whining two year old, "It's warm outside, I'm sure if we brought a blanket I'd be fine. It'll be just like we're sitting in here, only warmer and with a better view." Even now she could picture the way the trees were beginning to bloom now that spring was well under way and she wanted to see at least some color while she was awake.

On the surface, the request didn't exactly sound unreasonable but still Tres wasn't so sure that he should allow it. That Kaede had suggested the exact same thing not long ago while Kagome was asleep gave some weight to the miko's request even if he preferred to keep her inside and safe where he could protect her. Eventually though, he was forced to concede that he couldn't protect her from everything and the sun would likely do her some good.

"You will tell me if you begin feeling unwell," he stated firmly, allowing her no room for an argument. Even so, he knew it was unlikely that she'd mention it if anything changed, so it would be up to him to monitor her carefully.

"Of course," Kagome replied with the smallest of smiles. By the look on his face, she could tell that she had won a small victory and she'd get the chance to be outside for a few minutes.

"I will prepare a place for you to rest outside. Remain here while I do so," Tres said and propped her back against the pillows. There was no way he was going to carry her outside and then force her to stand while he arranged things to his liking. Placing her against the hard ground where she could catch even the slightest of chills was a risk he wasn't about to take.

"I'll do it for you," Shippo said from the doorway and then bolted for the blankets that had been folded and set off to the side. It was the least that he could do to help and this would be a rare and often hoped for chance to spend some time with Kagome. With how tired she always was now it wasn't often that they even had the chance to talk, much less do anything else. Even his drawings did little to bring a smile to her face and watching her fade a little more each day was distressing. He'd already lost his parents, the two people closest in his heart and he didn't know if he could bear to lose a third.

But he still held hope that things would change and she'd get better. Perhaps taking her outside would be the first step in that direction, there just wasn't any way of knowing for sure. _' Kagome's been like a bird in a cage, without a way to break free. I hope things change for the better soon.'_

"Thank you, Shippo," Kagome said and smiled at the kit when he paused to look over at her. It was of no surprise that he was going out of his way and trying to help out as much as he could. Unfortunately there just wasn't much that he could do at this point and she felt bad, because she knew she'd been neglecting him. Even though it couldn't be helped, that still didn't stop the feelings of guilt that came with that knowledge.

"You're welcome, Kagome," he replied quickly and bounded out the door to complete his task. The question was, where to set the blankets down at? For a moment he couldn't decide until he remembered a small patch of wild flowers just outside the village. It was a bit farther than he would have preferred, and would probably raise an objection from Tres as well. But he knew that it would make her happier to see such a bright and cheery scene rather than the side of someone's hut, so he'd take the risk of gaining the redhead's disapproval to do what he thought was right.

Without wasting anytime he ran to the spot and then began spreading the blankets out, making sure that there were no rocks protruding from the ground that would make the miko uncomfortable while she rested. Once he was finished, a frown marred his face when the slight breeze began tugging at the edges of the blankets, just enough to disturb the overall effect.

It was only slightly troublesome, but if the wind were to pick up anymore it would become an issue. So to resolve the problem, he weighted the corners down with small stones until he was certain they wouldn't move. Only when he was satisfied with his handiwork did he run back to Kaede's and stick his head inside the door, "It's ready, I think you'll like the spot I picked, Kagome."

"I'm sure I will," she replied gently and waited for Tres to help her up. There was no containing the excitement that had begun to build at the prospect of getting to go outside. Yet it wasn't much of a surprise when the redhead knelt down and picked her up, gently cradling her against his chest before walking outside. A small smile touched her face when the sun caressed her skin, reminding her of why spring was her favorite time of year.

With the miko securely in his arms, Tres began following the kitsune to the destination that had been prepared. When they reached the edge of the village, he nearly stopped, but when he saw the look of peace on Kagome's face it kept walking. It was too far away from Kaede's hut for his liking, however, there was no denying that being outside made her happier than she'd been in a very long time. Fortunately, he could see that the small field of flowers wasn't that much farther away and they'd be there before long.

Anxiously Shippo waited while Kagome looked at the spot he had picked. Although she seemed happy with it, he wanted to be sure that she hadn't been wanting to go someplace else.

Do you like it?" he asked uneasily, after Tres had taken the time to set her on the blanket and she'd gotten the opportunity to look around.

"It's beautiful," she replied with a smile and watched as a butterfly flew from one flower to another, seemingly without a care in the world. This was what she missed, being trapped inside the hut as she usually was. While she knew it was for her own good, she couldn't help but wonder if she was ever going to be able to enjoy small things like this again.

"I'm glad you like it," Shippo said and moved to sit down beside her. He wasn't about to try climbing in her lap, or anything that might make her uncomfortable. For now he was content to just remain near and know that he'd been the one to put a smile on her face this time. Although he didn't say anything, he missed the days where she would play with his tail and comb through it with her fingers. As if to tempt her, he brushed the tip of it against her fingers and waited to see if she'd take the bait.

Kagome giggled to herself when she realized what Shippo was doing. "Is that a hint?" she asked, just before she began running her fingers through the soft fur. Based on the look of delight he was giving her, she'd say that it had been.

As Tres watched the two of them interact, he contemplated just what kind of mother the woman would make. Few people held the amount of compassion that she did, and she exhibited that the most when she was around Shippo. That wasn't to say that she mothered the kitsune, in fact, that definitely wasn't the case. But one could easily see her caring nature the most when she was with him. He could only imagine what it would be like once she had a child of her own to care for. In a small way, he was jealous because that was something he'd never had. There was no mother, nor even a childhood. His life had began on the assembly line and taken shape when they'd fused cultivated organs with the robotic body they'd made. Even though he was human now, that didn't change the fact that he knew nothing about growing up or a mother's touch through first hand experience.

"Don't worry, Tres, I'll pet you too if you want," Kagome giggled softly and reached a shaky hand up to run her fingers though his red hair. While she couldn't read his thoughts, his feelings were clear, even if she couldn't know that she'd misinterpreted what they were about.

The comment had Tres snorting in amusement, but he didn't make an attempt to stop her. In fact, he rather liked it when she did things like this. It did wonders to reassure him that she was telling the truth and hadn't blamed him for what had happened. Yet that peace didn't last long and he knew before anyone said anything that they had visitors. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for the reunion that was about to occur.

"Aren't you supposed to be inside resting?" Inuyasha asked gruffly, having just come upon the rather touching scene of Kagome petting the both Shippo _and_ Tres like they were her pampered pets. _'That's actually a good description for the both of them now that I think about it.'_

Immediately Kagome's head snapped around in surprise and upset her balance in the process, which forced Tres to tighten his arms in order to steady her. Although she knew Inuyasha was there, her immediate concern was whether or not Abel had come with him. All the doubts she'd had as to whether or not he'd be able to bring the Crusnik with him came flooding back, threatening to drown her. Yet she didn't have long to wonder and tears welled up in her eyes when she saw him standing there, looking like he wasn't sure if he'd even be welcomed or not.

"Abel," she said, calling his name as she tried to get up to greet him. Strong, but gentle arms held her down to keep her from injuring herself, yet she still continued to struggle. "Let me go! Please, Tres."

"Don't get up, Kagome," Abel said gently and walked towards her. His gaze met Tres' for a moment and in that instant they came to an understanding. For now at least, the redhead wouldn't interfere which was exactly what he needed. Slowly he went down to his knees and waited to see what she would do. It would be well within her rights to scream at him for what he'd done, or perhaps even hit him. Whatever her reaction, he would take it and then do what he could to help her. So he was taken by surprise when she pulled free of Tres' grip and threw herself into his arms. Her harsh sobs broke his heart and it was all he could do to hold her close, giving her the comfort she so desperately needed.

"You came back," she whispered brokenly into his coat and clutched the soft material between her fingers as if she was afraid he'd leave her again. The shock of seeing him standing there had broken the dam inside her that had been holding back the flood of emotions she'd been bottling up inside and now she was helpless against the onslaught.

"How could I not?" Abel asked quietly and stroked her hair to calm her. He certainly hadn't been expecting this reaction, but it cemented any doubts he might have had. Leaving had been the wrong choice and he wouldn't make the same mistake again. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I never meant to hurt you. I just..."

"I know," Kagome said quietly, not daring to look at him, "Promise me you'll stay. Even if you want nothing more to do with me, I couldn't bear it if you left again." To have him walk away a second time would be too much and it was a possibility she couldn't stand to even consider.

"Don't even think that way," Abel said, his voice harsh with repressed emotion, "Look at me, Kagome." When she turned to look up into his eyes, he began to speak again, "It was a selfish mistake and you're the one who had to pay for it. But I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave you again. I promise."

Silently Tres watched the two of them and when Abel pressed his lips to the girl's forehead, he closed his eyes. This was something Kagome needed, even if it hurt for him to watch. He would not interfere, he'd done too much of that already. Quietly he stood up and began to walk away so that they could have some time alone to talk. He could at least give them that much.

Yet before he'd gotten more than a few feet away, Inuyasha was beside him and laying a hand on his shoulder to stop him. He didn't want to be there, not at the moment. Nor did he wish to speak with the hanyou who no doubt had a scathing remark for him. "Is there something you require?"

"Yeah, I want to know where you think you're going. Are you just going to walk away now?" Inuyasha snapped, although he kept his voice low enough so as not to disturb the two behind them. In his opinion this was exactly what Tres needed to see instead of running away.

"My presence is not required at this time," Tres replied tiredly and moved to shrug the hand off of his shoulder, but the hanyou merely tightened his grip.

"No, you're right. It's not required, but this is something you need to watch," Inuyasha said and forced the man to turn around so he could see them. "You see the way she's crying? The two of you caused that and right now I'm going to lay most of the blame on you whether you like it or not. You're the one who allowed it to get this far. You could have stopped it, but you didn't. You want to know why I stopped you from leaving? It's because you need to see what you've done. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you make the same mistake twice."

Inuyasha took a deep breath, trying to get his temper under control. He'd spent a lot of time talking with the Crusnik, just to find out what the hell had lit a fire under the man's ass. He couldn't agree with his way of thinking, but he understood why he'd come to the decision, even if he didn't like it. And one of the things he'd made damned sure of was that Nightroad wasn't going to leave again. That in itself had the potential of causing major problems and that was why he was standing beside Tres now, trying to prevent it. "If you haven't figured it out by now, he's not leaving again. No matter how much you want him to. Now you can decide to cause problems if you want, but I want you to take a good hard look at the way she's crying. It's only going to get worse if you can't accept the fact that she needs you both, even _after_ the kid is born. Are those tears worth it to you? Or would you rather she be the one who gets to be happy for a change?"

The accusation was enough to fill Tres with a smoldering rage, but only because it was true and everyone knew it. That alone would have been enough to fill him with shame for what he had done, but he wasn't going to apologize to the hanyou. While he might have gone out of his way to bring Father Nightroad back, he wasn't the one who deserved the apology. That alone had been reserved for Kagome and he'd already given it. Roughly he shrugged the hand off of his shoulder and fixed Inuyasha with a steely glare, "We've already come to an understanding and your interference is no longer needed. We will do what is necessary to make her happy, anything more than that is not your concern."

"Then don't make it my business and we'll get along just fine," Inuyasha said with his voice full of contempt. In the end he really didn't give a damn how they managed to work it out, so long as they did so. But until that happened, he was going to continue watching and the moment either of them stepped out of line he'd be more than happy to remind them of just how things were going to go from here on out.

While Tres stood there looking like he wished to send him to hell, Inuyasha turned his back on the man and walked back towards the two sitting on the blanket. "Not to break up this little reunion, but don't you think it's time for you to go back inside?" he asked quietly. He disliked the fact that she was outside in the first place, but now with the wind picking up he had ample reason to object. The change in her appearance during the time that he was gone was nothing short of shocking and it wasn't surprising that she hadn't laid into Abel with the initial anger he'd been expecting her to; she just didn't have the strength to do so anymore.

Kagome shook her head slightly, "I'm fine out here for now, Inuyasha." The reality was that she didn't want to move and the way that Abel had his arms around her kept most of the wind from touching her.

"He's right, Kagome," Abel said gently, knowing that the hanyou had a point. As much as he'd rather stay where he was, he wasn't going to take the chance of her coming down with another illness on top of it all. Before she could begin to protest, he picked her up and began walking towards the village, his destination clear. To his surprise, Tres didn't say anything or even attempt to take her from his arms, which relieved him slightly. It was a given that eventually he would have to relinquish his hold on her so that things didn't become strained between them, but that didn't mean that he wanted his time with her to end so soon.

The trip back was silent, and even though more than one villager gave the Crusnik disgusted looks as they walked past, he paid them no mind. They weren't important, not at the moment anyway. He'd deal with the others and their scorn later, when he could afford to devote the necessary time to them. But for now he was focused completely on the woman in his arms and as he studied the changes that had overtaken her, he knew that if he'd even been a couple of days later he would have been attending her funeral rather than reuniting with her.

Oblivious to the dark turn that Abel's thoughts had taken, Inuyasha held the mat to the hut aside and allowed the man to carry the miko in before he and Tres followed. While the Crusnik got the girl settled on the futon he remained silent, but he did arch a brow in surprise when Abel _laid down_ next to her. While he'd become accustomed to Tres playing a human pillow, his partner was taking it a step farther. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable why don't you."

Under any other circumstance, Abel might have blushed upon hearing the comment, but this time he met the hanyou's eyes confidently. "I ask for your indulgence in this, Inuyasha. Physical contact is a necessity in order to use my presence to repress the child's energy and slow down the rate of growth. Being in the room would ordinarily be enough, however with as far as this has progressed, it's going to take some time to get under control."

It wasn't exactly an untruth, but it was coming close, assuming that the child had anything at all in common with a vampire. He still wasn't certain on that account given that there was no precedence of any of the Crusnik reproducing. Yet all he would have had to do was sit next to her and place a hand on her bulging stomach rather than going to the extreme that he'd chosen. The simple fact of the matter was, he wasn't above using this as an excuse to hold her for a little while longer.

Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder if the man was exaggerating just a bit, but since Kagome seemed to be comfortable with the arrangement, he wasn't going to say anything further about it. However he wasn't going to leave either and now seemed as good of a time as any to ask some of the questions that had been running through his mind.

Okay. Now that we have you here," he began and scratched his head, "and we've determined that the kid _is_ yours, do you think its going to be one of the blood sucking variety or is it gonna end up more human than anything else?" He nearly wanted to smack his own head when he realized how that sounded, but it was too late to take it back now.

"Inuyasha," Abel stated dryly, "If you're asking if the child will be a Crusnik, that I cannot answer, but in this case, it's all or nothing. You cannot be half Crusnik, half human." Even he had no idea if another Crusnik was even possible, but he supposed that they would be finding out shortly. Really, there was no other explanation for the rapid growth rate of the child she carried, but he still couldn't give them a guaranteed answer. Slowly he traced his fingers over the miko's stomach and felt the child shift beneath them. Unless he missed his guess, it would only be a couple of weeks at most before he or she was born and at least part of the questions would be resolved.

"What do you mean? Are you telling me that you can't tell even though you're next to her now?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes going wide with surprise. What were the chances that even Abel couldn't answer the damned question? _'And here I thought that he'd be able to tell just by getting near her again. So much for that theory.'_

"That's exactly what I'm saying," he replied with a sigh, "You must remember that it's the Bacillus that contains the virus that changed humans into vampires because it destroys the red blood cells, forcing them to consume blood to help replenish them. The nanomachines are another form of alien technology. Even the colonists didn't know how to use them for certain and most of the test subjects did not survive. However, I believe that to a certain extent, they are a cybernetic organism, on a molecular level. With my first death, I failed to fuse with them completely and it was only because Lady Caterina added another dose to my body that I was able to come back to life. However, when that happened, I fused with them completely. The only other person to do so went insane and had to be destroyed." It was shortening a lot of the story, but Abel really didn't want to have to explain how he'd been forced to kill his own brother.

"But you managed to keep your mind intact," Kagome murmured quietly. The sounds of their voices were comforting, lulling her to sleep. However she wished to hear what they had to say and was now fighting that darkness off with a strength she didn't know she had currently possessed.

"I did. But it still leaves a few possibilities for our child. Since he or she is a combination of our genes and the nanomachines fused on a molecular level with my body, there is a chance that the child will have them as well. However, it's pure speculation since there's no precedence for it. I cannot predict whether the child will be like me or not," Abel replied, wishing that he could give them a better answer.

In a way, he was thankful that it was a possibility the nanomachines had entered the child's body, and that they didn't have to worry about the child being born a Methuselah. But that train of thought was not for any reason of power. If he or she had been born a Methuselah, then feeding the child would have become a major issue. The villagers would not wish to have what they would deem a monster in their midst. However, being a Crusnik would mean that the child would be able to subsist on normal food, and the blood of demons if it became a necessity.

If there was one thing that he had learned in his time here, it was that demons lived by the rule of kill or be killed. Many different species fed on blood specifically, so the child would not necessarily stand out as anything unusual. It would just be up to him to protect the young one until he or she was strong enough to hunt and defend against those who would wish to destroy it, but that was his job as the father to provide for the child anyway.

"Great... We have no way of knowing if it's a boy or a girl. We don't even know if the baby's going to be a human, or Crusnik. I'm tired of surprises," Kagome said, burying her face into Abel's chest and tried to ignore the way that he was laughing at her. _'At least knowing one of the two would be nice. I guess it'd be too much to ask to have Inuyasha go steal an ultrasound machine.' _She sighed upon realizing that would be pointless unless he stole a generator to go along with it and then she could just imagine them trying to figure out how to use it. _'I can't win.'_

"If it's any consolation, I don't think we'll have to wait long to find out," Abel replied gently and patted her shoulder. The only thing that he could hope for now was that Kagome would get a lot stronger in a short amount of time, or there was a good chance that he would be raising the child alone.

"What is your time frame?" Tres asked quietly, immediately picking up on the dangers of what Father Nightroad had just said. The worry resonating through the bond was unmistakable and he needed to know the realities of what they were up against.

The question had Father Nightroad frowning, "No more than two or three weeks, I'd say. From all appearances, the child is nearly to term. However my close proximity seems to have quieted the child considerably. If we can keep her comfortable and the activity to a minimum, it might buy us a few extra days. However, in that time you need to eat, Kagome. I'm afraid that broth just won't be enough to regain your strength.

The news had Kagome swallowing hard against the bile that rose in her throat. The thought of food was revolting, but she knew that he was right. One way or another, she was going to have to try harder. "I understand. I can't promise it'll stay down, but I'll try."

Father Nightroad frowned because he knew that Kagome was already doing the best that she could. He only hoped that with the child calmed now, it would allow her body to settle and begin to recover. "That's all I can ask for. You should sleep for now." When she looked at him uneasily, he pulled her closer in reassurance.

"Don't worry," he whispered softly, urging her to relax in his arms, "I'll still be here when you awaken. I promise."

_**End of Chapter Twenty two**_


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: I know this chapter has been a long time coming. I'd gotten the idea of expanding the story to help resolve some of the issues with Tres but unfortunately, I just haven't had the time to do so. Nor do things look to be calming down anytime soon, so rather than making you wait any longer for the next chapter, I'm just going to post it. Once things calm down here and I have the chance, I'll take the time and expand it, revising the ending so that there's not so much that's left unresolved. Thank you for your patience.

_**Chapter Twenty three **_

To everyone's surprise, Kagome had passed the three week mark two days before and had yet to show any signs that she was going into labor. For the first few days, Kagome's condition had given Abel fits because in spite of it all, she was having a hard time keeping food down. The answer had came so suddenly that he found himself wanting to beat his head against the nearest wall and then kick Tres in the ass for not having thought of it either.

It had been rather simple in the end, even if it had taken some fine acting on Inuyasha's part. Now that the future had been altered, they had a resource in Kagome, or rather, the Kagome who was in the future. Of course she couldn't know about what had happened to herself, but she knew how frequently the villagers were becoming pregnant and how problematic it could be.

The suggestion had been put forth that they inform the future miko that Sango was pregnant and having difficulties, but it had been nixed quickly, seeing that she'd want to return to help if she could. No one knew whether or not the girl would be able to pass through, seeing that she was already here, if that made any sense. So it was decided that it was best to use a faceless name and have the hanyou ask her for help.

Inuyasha had gone willingly enough, even if he'd been grumbling the entire time. Iron pills were easy enough to come by and could be purchased in any store, however the anti nausea medication that was safe for a pregnant woman to use was far more difficult to come by and couldn't be obtained without a prescription.

To this day, Abel wasn't sure how Inuyasha had managed to convince the Kagome of the future not only to make an appointment for herself at an obstetrician's office, but to sneak a vial of urine in with her to provide a positive pregnancy test. Somehow, he wasn't sure that he wanted to know either. _'It was dumb luck that they didn't demand a blood test in addition to everything else. I can't imagine how they explained it to her mother either, but at least it worked.'_

And for that, Abel was eternally grateful. The Diclectin worked like a charm and stopped the girl's vomiting almost completely which allowed her to begin eating normally again. While she wasn't back to normal and wouldn't be for a few months after the delivery, she was in far better condition than she'd been when he'd first come back.

_'So why the sudden relapse now?'_ Anxiously he stared down at the woman who was looking at the plate of food he'd brought like it was the most disgusting thing in the world. "Kagome," he said patiently, "You need to eat."

"I can't," Kagome stated flatly and shook her head, "please take it away." While she wasn't exactly feeling ill, she just knew that if she ate it, the food was going to make a reappearance. It had happened at lunch time earlier and she just knew that it was going to happen again. Sighing heavily, she shifted uncomfortably in order to take some of the pressure off her back. If she thought it would do any good to ask either Tres or Abel to rub it, she would have, but nothing was helping. Not even the hot rice packs that Kaede had prepared were making a difference anymore.

Reluctantly Abel set the plate down again and watched her fidget for what seemed to be the tenth time in as many seconds. "This is probably a stupid question, but are you uncomfortable? Do you need another pillow or something?"

"Maybe that would help," Kagome replied with a grimace and tried to pull herself forward. The added padding was set behind her quickly by Tres before he resumed his place at her side. To her surprise, the two men seemed to be getting along rather well, even if they weren't nearly as talkative as they had been in the past.

For his part, Tres was watching the two of them carefully and when Father Nightroad began looking out the window with a calculating expression on his face, he had to know. "What are you thinking, Father Nightroad?"

"I was checking to see what time it was," Abel replied quietly and stared at the sun that was beginning to set. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that Kagome was getting uncomfortable as night was beginning to fall, but he didn't think so.

Immediately Kagome looked at him suspiciously, "Why would that matter?" It wasn't like either one of them could share the futon with her anymore. Over the past two days she'd been far too uncomfortable and with the guys trying to sandwich her it had been impossible to sleep. Ultimately she'd kicked them out of the bed and they'd ended up staring at each other wearily though the night.

"Just a suspicion I have," Abel replied quietly and then looked at Tres, "Would you mind finding Kaede for me please?" While he could have gotten up and done it himself, he wanted to observe Kagome a bit more before saying anything to her. Now he wished that he had a watch so he could see just how often she did a major shift in position.

"Positive," Tres replied and stood up. Now he was certain that something was up and if Kaede was needed, he had a good idea what it was. He just hoped that the old woman wouldn't be hard to find._ 'Retrieving Sango might be helpful as well. Kagome will need them both.'_

"Mind telling me why you sent Tres off? If you're thinking the baby's coming, I don't think so. I'm not having contractions, my back is just beginning to hurt," Kagome said uneasily, but the Crusnik didn't look convinced in the least. _'Beginning to hurt is a bit of an understatement. This kid needs to pull his foot out of my back now before he ends up grounded for the rest of his life.'_

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Father Nightroad muttered and then moved to her side, "sit up for a second." When she did so, he placed his hand on her lower back and began to rub it slowly. "Let me guess, it's down here, right?"

Kagome eyed the man suspiciously, "Yeah, it is. How'd you know that?" When he'd been rubbing her back the day before, the sore spot had been considerably higher than it was now. This time the pain started just above her tail bone and then radiated up from there.

"Back labor, I suspect," Abel said matter of factly. The books that Inuyasha had brought back with him had done wonders for his knowledge and he'd gotten further into them than Kagome had since she still spent quite a bit of time sleeping. The setting sun combined with the location of Kagome's discomfort led him to believe that his suspicions were correct.

Kagome groaned upon hearing that. It would figure that the one of the chapters she hadn't gotten to yet, but she remembered hearing her mother say that Souta's birth had been especially painful for that reason. "Great, does this mean that I'm going to finally be able to see my feet again in the next couple of days?"

"Before then most likely. I suspect the child will be born sometime tonight or in the early morning, before the sun rises," he said and continued to work on her back. She seemed to be slightly more comfortable when he did that, even though he did notice the periodic tensing of her muscles._ 'She probably wasn't expecting it to start there, so she's been assuming they were false contractions. We'll know more for sure when Kaede gets here.'_

"Don't tell me that you think this kids going to have an aversion to sunlight," Kagome muttered and looked out through the window. At one point Kaede had mentioned that women tended to give birth during the night, but she'd brushed that off without a second thought. After all, hadn't her own mother told her that she'd been born during the day?

"Aversion? No, but you saw the clouds building earlier in the day. A storm is coming and the drop in pressure can trigger labor in some women," Abel replied easily and fell silent to count out the minutes between the next contraction. At least Kagome was content to let him do as he wished, which helped the situation. As the silence stretched out between them, he realized they were still looking at several hours to go most likely. "They're approximately seven minutes apart, so it will be a while. You should try to rest while you can."

"You must be kidding," Kagome said with a disbelieving look. _'How in the hell am I supposed to get comfortable enough to rest? It's impossible.' _Yet still she tried and with a bit of assistance, she managed to roll onto her other side, just in time for Kaede to walk in the door. Both Tres and Sango were hot on her heels, making Kagome shake her head. _'Great, I'm going to have an audience. Now all we need is Inuyasha, Shippo and Miroku.'_

"Both of ye need to go wait outside," Kaede ordered sternly while she knelt down at the miko's side. It had been no surprise to her when the redhead had come to fetch her. She'd been expecting Kagome to go into labor any day and had purposefully kept herself close to the hut, just in case.

For a moment Kagome thought about protesting their removal, but one look at Kaede's face had her falling silent. Clearly the woman didn't believe that the men should be in the room and she was going to run into problems each time she was checked for her progress. It was best to save her strength for now and wait for the argument that would come when it was closer for the child to be delivered.

Carefully Kaede monitored her rate of breathing, as well as checked her heart rate while waiting for the men to take themselves outside. Only once the room was clear did she urge the young miko to change positions, "Lay on thine back child, I need to check the baby's position."

"I knew you were going to say that," Kagome replied and rolled over, distinctly feeling like she was a rare form of beached whale as she did so. Obediently she pulled the hem of her shirt up so that Kaede could feel for the child's position, but she knew that wasn't going to be the extent of her embarrassment. Only a few moments later, her skirt and underwear were removed and she stared up at the ceiling as the older miko poked and prodded until she was satisfied with what she'd found. "Lemme guess, he's ready to come out."

Kaede chuckled and dipped her hands in a bowl of cool water, "Nay, child, not yet. But he's getting there. I'd say before the moon sets. Ye should have told us that he was coming earlier."

"I didn't know he was," Kagome replied and pulled the sheet up over her lower half. "When can the guys come back in?"

Kaede looked at the girl's anxious face and sighed, "Men have no need to be around during the birth of a child, Kagome." The very idea was unthinkable and she'd never known a man that wanted to be present in the first place. It was a painful and messy affair, one that they usually wanted no part of.

"Things are different where we come from, Kaede. Please, at least let Abel back in. We don't know if he's going to be needed or not anyway," Kagome asked. While she knew that she'd have both Sango and Kaede there for whatever she needed, she'd feel a hell of a lot better with at least one of the guys there. Especially if this was going to be as painful as she feared it would.

Although she didn't like the idea, Kaede had to admit that the girl had a point. Even though she'd helped to birth many children in her lifetime, she'd never attempted one like what Kagome was carrying. Yet she knew that to bring one in, but not the other was only going to cause a conflict between the two men. It was an all or nothing deal. It was one last look at Kagome's face that made her decision. "Fine, I'll allow it for that reason."

"Thank you, Kaede," Kagome replied as the older woman got up and went to retrieve the two men. She'd been surprised that her friend had caved so easily, or that Sango hadn't objected to the idea. But perhaps being a demon slayer, she knew that births involving demons and therefore Crusniks, could bring about more complications.

In fact, that's exactly what Sango was pondering when Abel came back into the room. Most of the time, the offspring of a demon and a human looked to be mostly human. But in some cases like with Jinenji, the deformities were so great that they rarely survived. This was one instance that she devoutly hoped that would not be the case.

"Looks like we're in for a long wait now," Abel said upon returning, and took his normal spot at Kagome side while Tres took the opposite. It surprised him really that Tres wanted to be in here in the first place, he'd half expected the man to decline the invitation back inside. _'He's probably curious as to what will happen. I must admit that I am as well, even though I know what to expect.'_

"Aye, that we are. However ye have the easy time of it, it is Kagome that must do all the work this time," Kaede replied and set about preparing a tea that would help to ease the discomfort Kagome was in. Although she still disapproved of the fact that males were in the room, she had to admit she was almost looking forward to seeing their reactions. Even though men were the stronger sex, fierce and protective when the need arose, she couldn't help but laugh at the idea of a man being able to handle witnessing a birth. Most likely, they would end up making their excuses once the real pain started, but in the meantime, she'd watch and wait.

And wait she did, for the next _nine_ hours. The contractions were getting progressively stronger and Kagome had reached the point that she could no longer bear her pain in silence. The tea now did little to help her discomfort, but it was just as well seeing as liquids given at this stage were likely to make the girl sick.

To her surprise though, the men were being rather stoic about the whole thing, even though it was their woman who was going through enough pain that would make a male believe they were dying. Sweat dotted the girl's brow and plastered her hair to the sides of her face, in spite of the repeated attempts to wipe it away.

"Another one's starting," Kagome moaned and gripped both Tres and Abel's hands tightly. Right now they were a constant lifeline, keeping her grounded when she felt like she'd never get through the next agonizing pain. On one occasion she was sure that she'd heard a bone pop in Tres' hand, but if it had, the man hadn't made a sound. Instead they both offered her silent encouragement, even if they both seemed as if they'd rather be somewhere other than where they were at the moment. _'I can't blame them. I'd rather be somewhere else right now. Why did I ever think this would be easy?'_

Again Kaede settled herself between the miko's legs and checked to see how dilated she was. "I think it's time," she proclaimed and moved just enough so that Kagome would be able to switch positions. "Kagome, ye need to get up child," she encouraged and helped the sooner to be mother into a squatting position. Gravity would be the best aid for her now to get this child born. "Sango, I need ye to help support her."

"Of course," Sango replied and moved to the girl's side, effectively pushing Abel out of the way. While she steadied her friend, Kaede knelt in front of the girl and prepared to catch the child as soon as it came out. "Kagome, it's time for you to push."

"What do you think I'm doing?" Kagome snapped at Sango, even though she tried not to let the words come out too harshly. In this position there was no stopping her body from pushing and it felt as if she was being split in two. "Oh god, it hurts."

Unable to do anything but hold her hand, Tres tried to offer whatever support that he could even though he'd never felt more helpless in his life. Now that he knew what she had to go through, he wasn't sure that he wanted Kagome to ever have to experience this again. Her cries of pain were nearly unbearable and the agony he felt rippling through the bond tore at him. If this had been an actual enemy doing this to her, he would have killed it without a second thought, but as it was, there was absolutely nothing that he could do. "It will pass soon, Kagome."

"Fine, then you take over and do all the work," Kagome said through gritted teeth and waited for the pain to subside. Even though he was right to a certain extent, she knew it was just going to start up again in a matter of minutes. Time never seemed to fly by so fast when she was in the brief resting period between contractions, nor did it ever seem so agonizingly slow while one ripped through her body.

Sango looked uneasily at the miko turned midwife, "Shouldn't she be crowning by now?" While she'd only participated in two births before, they'd all progressed rather quickly. However, that might have been because both women had already birthed multiple children. She just wasn't sure.

"She's doing well, don't worry," Kaede said quietly, reassuring everyone in the room. A woman's first child usually took longer than the others and she'd been rather surprised that Kagome's labor had progressed as fast as what it had. Given the size of the child versus how small her body was, she'd been anticipating _at least_ twelve hours, perhaps even more.

"It's starting again," Sango said in warning, giving Kaede ample opportunity to be prepared. Already Kagome was gripping her hand, even if she hadn't said anything yet. The contractions were nearly on top of each other now and one way or another, the miko seemed determined that she was going to push it out now.

"Good, Kagome, keep pushing," Abel coached from the side, staying close enough to help, but not to interfere. While he couldn't see anything, he knew that she was close by the way that Kaede had placed her hands. In a matter of moments their child would be born, and the first trial would be over.

"Why don't... you just... shut up!" Kagome panted with exertion. While she wasn't normally the one to lay all the blame for a pregnancy on one person, in this instance she felt more than justified. He was far too upbeat for her tastes, especially when he was doing none of the work. _'A few minutes of fun for him, hours of pain for me! I should threaten to break it off and shove it up his ass for him the next time he decides that he wants to have sex with someone!'_

"Focus, Kagome," Kaede warned the girl, getting upset at Abel wasn't going to get rid of the pain that she was in. Only getting the child out would do that for her. Suddenly the head slipped out into her hands, "Only a couple more pushes, Kagome and then it will be over."

Although her strength was rapidly waning, Kagome reached inside herself and pulled up the last reserves of energy for another push. A pain filled cry escaped her lips when the baby's shoulders slipped free and her vision swam when she felt the child pulled free of her body.

"Lay her down, quickly," Kaede commanded with the baby in her hands. No sane person would expect the girl to remain on her feet after that and the afterbirth could be easily passed with her laying down. Quickly she grabbed a length of sinew and tied the cord off before cutting it. "The child is a boy," she stated quietly and began wiping him clean with a soft cloth. Whereas she would normally have forced the child into crying to stimulate breathing, she could tell that wouldn't be necessary. The young one was staring at her almost warily, unlike any other child she'd ever seen.

Abel peered over her shoulder and a slight smile crossed his face. The thin covering of hair on his head was pale and the Crusnik was certain that once cleaned it would be a pale silver like his. A glimmer of recognition seemed to cross the baby's face and although he couldn't articulate what was wanted, Abel knew.

Carefully he reached out and took his son from the old miko's arms and carried him over to Kagome. He could see that she was unbelievably tired, but also anxious to see her child. Slowly he placed the boy in her arms and then pulled back just enough so that he could watch them both.

Kagome knew that both Tres and Abel had knelt beside her, but she stared transfixed at the child in her arms. Whereas most babies didn't seem to be able to focus on an object, he was staring at her quite clearly with bright blue eyes. But that was where the differences with a normal baby ended. His head was quite clearly misshapen from being pushed through her body and his skin was pale with bright splotches on it. At the moment she couldn't say he was beautiful, or even that cute, but he was hers and it all became worth it. "He looks just like you," she said at last.

Peering closely at the tightly wrapped bundle, Tres squinted trying to see just what Kagome was talking about. With the exception of the silver hair and blue eyes, he could see no resemblance between the two. Perhaps Abel had been this ugly as a child, he couldn't be certain, but the boy's appearance really didn't matter in the end. As long as Kagome was happy with the outcome, he would be as well.

Kaede shook her head slowly, taking note that the woman had been so wrapped up in what was going on that she hadn't even realized she'd expelled the afterbirth. As quietly as possible, she set to collecting it and cleaning the area without disturbing the new family.

"Should I let the others in?" Sango asked curiously. While she didn't want to interrupt their bonding time, the others had to be wondering what was happening by now. Kagome's cries had probably kept half the villagers awake through the night and if she knew Inuyasha, he had probably paced a ditch into the ground out in front of the hut.

"Nay, let them have their time together," Kaede said and led the slayer outside so that they could share the good news. There would be plenty of time for visiting later, after Kagome had gotten some rest and fed her son for the first time.

_~The next day~_

While everyone had been anxious to see the new child, they'd known that Kagome had needed her rest and respected that need until she'd awoken the next morning. Then it suddenly seemed to be a race to meet the newest member of the family as the others had wasted no time in invading Kaede's hut.

Inuyasha peered over Kagome's shoulder and looked at the child with an expression that could have been identical to the one Tres wore the night before. "So what'd you name him?" he asked at last and raised an eyebrow when the child narrowed his eyes at him. Already he could see that this one was going to be a handful. He just hoped that Kagome was ready for it.

"Daichi," Kagome replied after casting a grateful look to Abel. The man had wanted to name the child after one of his close friends he'd left behind, but realized that it would make the boy stand out even more than he was already going to. While she would have agreed to naming him William if he'd pressed the issue, she was glad that he had agreed on a traditional Japanese name.

"Great first son, huh?" Inuyasha pondered before nodding, "It fits him. But does this mean there's going to be more than one?" Somehow it wouldn't surprise him if Kagome wanted an entire houseful, he just hoped she'd spread them out some. If she didn't, he wasn't sticking around for the birth of the second one. She'd nearly given him a heart attack the first time she'd really screamed and he'd thought she was dying.

Kagome chuckled slightly and ran a finger down her son's cheek, "Maybe one of these days. Not right away though, one's more than enough." She gave Kaede a knowing look. They'd already discussed this and the old woman had made her promise to let her know if she ran low on the ingredients for the tea again. There wasn't going to be anymore surprises, not if she could help it. They needed to get settled before they could even think of giving Daichi another brother or a little sister.

"Have you figured out what he is exactly?" Miroku asked and moved to get a better look at the child. He could sense an unusual energy coming off of the boy, but it was so similar to Abel's that he was almost certain that the child had taken after his father. However, without knowing if all Crusnik felt like Abel did, he'd have to rely on Nightroad's judgment for the correct answer.

Remembering the hell that both Inuyasha and Tres had put him through, Abel smirked slightly. "There's one way to find out," he replied and beaconed them both closer, "hold out your hands to him."

"What are you..." Kagome stared at him in horror when she realized what was going to happen. It came as no surprise when Daichi's face scrunched up in annoyance and he promptly bit Inuyasha's finger as soon as it came near him.

"You little runt," Inuyasha groused and pulled his finger back, "It's a good thing you don't have teeth yet. I ain't food dammit!" His half hearted glare turned into a full one when he looked at Nightroad, whose smirk had widened. "You knew he was going to do that, didn't you, you bastard."

"Inuyasha, watch your mouth," Kagome snapped and glared daggers at the two of them. She'd already had this discussion with both Abel and Tres the night before when the Crusnik had come to the conclusion that somehow the nanomachine's had passed on to their son. "You could have just told him, you know."

Even Tres chuckled at the way the hanyou's glare intensified. He'd been waiting for it as well, since the baby had no interest in chewing on him whatsoever. It was probably for the best that it had worked out that way, he really hadn't relished the prospect of the boy trying out his fangs on Kagome once they came in. "I believe, that is what he would call retribution, Inuyasha."

"Retribution? I'll show you two retribution when I drag your asses outside to beat them," Inuyasha said with a growl and then flattened his ears when he noticed the way Kagome was staring at him with a look that could kill. He knew he wasn't going to get that many more freebies when it came to his mouth, especially since Kagome's patience was in short supply.

"That's enough, the three of you get out. Go... work off some of that energy before you come back in here," Kagome snapped when she felt Daichi begin to squirm. While he wasn't fussing yet, he was definitely making his displeasure known and she didn't want him to start crying.

"Hey, what'd I do?" Abel protested weakly as Sango helped to shove him out the door, "It was all in good fun. Hey! Kagome!!"

Kagome sighed and shook her head once the other two had followed him. Even now she could hear the Crusnik protested the harsh treatment, never mind that he'd started the entire thing in the first place. Wearily she looked down at Daichi and sighed again, "Let this be a lesson to you, don't take after your father. It'll get you in trouble."

Bright blue eyes blinked at her slowly and he gave what sounded to be an amused gurgle. A feeling of dread settled over Kagome and she knew that what she'd been hoping for was a lost cause. _'Dear God, what have I gotten myself into?'_


	24. Chapter 24

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Finally, we've reached the end of the story and I want to thank everyone who has stuck with me throughout it's entirety. At some point I intend to go back and expand upon it; but for now I must lay this particular story to rest. For those who are interested in what's next, I have an Inuyasha/Dark-Hunter crossover in the works and I'm looking for a reliable beta who is either familiar with the series or who is willing to read the books. Interested parties can contact me through email at Eclipsekitsune aol. com or review, thank you :)

_**Epilogue**_

The grass was soft beneath her feet, but unlike most of the time that she walked barefoot, she didn't notice. Instead she was hunting for a certain someone, or rather two certain someones and her mood was far from lighthearted and pleasant.

Two years had passed since Daichi had been born and he'd surpassed any expectations that she'd had for her child at this young age. Where most children were lucky to say their first word by six months old, he had already begun to string words together, even if he wasn't exactly articulate about it back then. Walking was also another milestone that had been passed long before it was actually due. By eight months she was wondering if she was going to have to build a fence to keep him corralled.

"Or a leash, but I can imagine how well that would go over," Kagome muttered to herself as she walked. _'Now where are they?'_

The two males she was currently searching for had offered to take Daichi out for the day and allow her to have something of a day off. Fortunately she knew they weren't likely to be far considering how neither of them liked to be that far away from the house. Not to mention that Daichi was very much a momma's boy, in spite of the way Abel lavished attention on the child. Tres too, to a certain extent. That particular male was far more stoic than his partner and while he enjoyed spending time with Daichi, he was quieter about how he did so. Any reservations she'd held about how he'd accept Abel's son had been dispelled the first time he'd held the child and she'd had gotten the feeling that at some point he'd be wanting one of his own, even if he hadn't said anything.

_'Oh who am I kidding?'_ Kagome thought with a snort. _'The poor guy looked terrified. It was like he was afraid he was going to drop him or something.'_ It hadn't taken long for the redhead to hand the baby back to her, but she could tell that he was curious about the new addition, even if he wasn't confident enough to hold him at the time.

Well, it was a damned good thing that he'd gotten over himself with that one, because he was going to need that experience. _'And I need my head examined.'_ The uncharitable thought was because she'd mistakenly believed that something would actually work for once. _'What was I saying about disliking surprises? And I thought breastfeeding was supposed to keep things like this from happening? The books, they lied to me.'_

Of course, that's what Kaede had thought as well, even though Kagome had continued taking the tea. It made things doubly safe for her right? Nervously she bit her lip, wondering how she was going to handle this new development. It wouldn't be so bad if Daichi wasn't still nursing occasionally, even if it was more for comfort than anything else. It would be even better if her son had already been potty trained, but he was being rather difficult on that front. It meant having two children in diapers at once and that was one thing she'd been hoping to avoid. _'I know a certain Crusnik that had better get over his fear of changing diapers real fast.'_ At least Tres hadn't been particularly squeamish on that front and she could count on him to give her a hand when needed.

The thing that flustered her the most though, was that this had hit her completely out of the blue. She hadn't even missed her period yet for heaven's sakes and to have a certain dog eared hanyou come up and start giving her a hard time for no damned reason had caught her off guard. _'It figures the idiot would find this funny. It's not him who has to carry it and since there's no worries this time, he's more than happy to get his kicks at my expense.'_

So help her, if he cracked even one more fat joke or brought up the fact that she waddled when she was pregnant one more time, he was going to have to find a hole to hide in. Or she was going to help him create one with that rosary around his neck.

The sound of high pitched laughter caught her attention and Kagome immediately began walking that direction, intent on finding the person responsible. Most likely though, that particular male would be thrilled at the prospect since there were times she knew that he felt left out. This time there was no question in her mind just who the father was, simply because a certain Crusnik had been off in another village when her fertile time had rolled around and Tres had been more than happy to take the opportunity to enjoy some quality alone time with her.

The scene she walked up on solidified the idea that Tres wouldn't have a problem with the news. Currently he was laying on his back in a soft patch of grass, with a certain silver haired child stretched out on his chest. Usually it was Abel in that very position, but this time the Crusnik was leaning against a tree, smiling indulgently down at the two on the ground. That alone was enough to lessen some of the apprehension that had gripped her chest and with a bit more confidence, she walked close enough that they noticed her.

"Momma!" Daichi squealed and scrambled off of Tres' chest. His steps were sure and steady as he made his way over to her and immediately clung to her leg. Usually it was Kagome that came out to play with him in the flowers, but this time he'd missed having her around.

"Hi, Daichi, are you having fun with Daddy and Tres?" Kagome asked while picking the little boy up to set him on her hip.

"Uh huh, Daddy was showing me how to make a... a..." Daichi scrunched his face up, trying to remember exactly what it had been called.

"A what?" Kagome asked suspiciously and cast a dark look over to the man in question. For Abel's sake it had better have been something innocent like a ring of flowers and not what she suspected it was.

"Oh, it was nothing," Abel replied cheerily, waving his hands to dismiss the question, "I was just showing Daichi some tricks that will be useful for learning to control his abilities in a few years." Weakly he laughed, hoping that she wasn't going to push the issue. They'd already talked about the fact that Kagome didn't want their son learning how to form any weapons until she was sure that he was old enough not to injure himself. How was he to know that the little boy would pick up on it so quickly that he not only activated the nanomachines in his body, but created his own weapon as well? _'Oh dear lord, please don't let her kill me.'_

However Kagome wasn't about to be put off so easily. "We'll talk about that later, Abel," she huffed and then set Daichi down on the ground again so that he could resume using Tres as a pillow if he wanted. But to her surprise he started poking among the flowers, as if looking for something.

"Is there something that brings you out here, Kagome? I thought you'd be resting right about now?" Abel asked, giving her a curious look in his attempt to distract her from his impending demise. The miko always stayed so busy now, tending to Daichi, so it was a bit surprising to see her searching them out when she could be reading or doing something else she enjoyed. The little boy was quite the handful, but she never complained, even when she seemed unbelievably tired.

"Yeah," Kagome replied and crossed her arms. Uneasily she stared down at the redhead who was only now sitting up, "Remember that talk we had about giving Daichi a sibling?"

Now it was apparent that she had both men's attention, even if their son was now chasing a butterfly, oblivious to the conversation. While Tres stared curiously at her, Abel looked particularly uneasy which caused her eyes to narrow. "You already know, don't you?"

"Me?" Abel squeaked and shook his head, "Oh no. I know nothing. What is it I'm supposed to know?" He was lying through his teeth in an attempt to avoid her wrath, but the truth of the matter was, he'd been stopped by Inuyasha just this morning. To say that he'd been surprised had been an understatement, but he hadn't said anything to either Tres or Kagome. Since clearly this was his partner's child, he didn't want to spoil the surprise when Kagome told him.

"Right," Kagome drawled, clearly not believing the man, but choosing not to pursue the issue. It was enough, she supposed, that Tres was baffled by the conversation. _'At least I' wasn't the only one left in the dark.'_

"Do you care to elaborate on the situation?" Tres inquired even though he had a suspicion of what they were talking about. Few things flustered Kagome anymore and when she'd brought up the subject of another child, she'd instantly gotten his attention.

"Let's just say that you're gonna have diaper duty at the end of the year, and I don't mean with Daichi," Kagome said, her lips quirking in amusement. Her smirk only grew when a stunned expression crossed his face that came with the realization of what she meant.

"How soon?" Tres asked at last, a smile lingering over his own lips. He'd wondered occasionally if Kagome would ever want another child after all she'd been through with Daichi, and whether or not the next one would be his own. But now it seemed as if the question had been answered and he couldn't be happier.

"You've got about a little less than nine months to get ready, I hope you're happy with yourself," Kagome said, relieved that he seemed to be taking it so well.

His answer wasn't a verbal response, but a physical one and in mere moments, he'd swept her off her feet to hold her close. A long lingering kiss was pressed to her lips, silently conveying just how happy he was now.

When Tres finally pulled away, she stared into his eyes, carefully searching the bond between them. To her relief she found no trace of trepidation or uncertainty there. Instead there was only a sense of contentment and acceptance, from both Tres and Abel. That knowledge was enough to allow Kagome to give herself over to the same emotions, to bask in the closeness that they'd found with each other. Only now, when she was certain that everything would be fine, could she feel comfortable in accepting the gift that she'd been given. Finally, after all this time, they were truly a family.

_**The End.**_


End file.
